Roadside girl
by AiraChica
Summary: Acting had in many ways been one of Helga's many skills. Arnold hadn't expected her to give a shot at a career in it though thereby leaving Hillwood to study abroad just when he had started to grow feelings for her. That smidge of love has turned into bitter resentment, so when the play Helga is cast in as the heroine is falling apart, can Arnold ignore the past pain and save it?
1. Roadside girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**Summary: **_**Acting had in many ways also been one of Helga's many skills. Arnold hadn't expected her to give a shot at a career in it though thereby leaving to study abroad just when he had started to grow feelings for her. That smidge of love has turned into bitter resentment, so when the play Helga is cast as the heroine in is falling apart, can Arnold ignore the past pain and save it?**_

**Author's 1st note: Yes! I am starting a new long project! It's been long overdue, but I wanted to make sure I didn't make another whoopsie by starting a story with much too little material for me to be able to finish it like I did with "Primal urges and hidden desires" Again: sorry to all of you had been looking forward to that story :(**

**Anyhow, what you will need to know for this story: The M rating is due to foul language, sexual situations and darkness along with angst both in the play and a little in the real world too. (Well, Arnold and Helga's "real" world).**

**If you have read my other stories then you know that I have never focused on the slight hate there is between Arnold and Helga. In my other stories they've always been friends or civil with each other. That's not the case with this one. I am going to focus a lot more on the hate between them than just the love. I'm also trying to put more humor into it too though. **

**I will through this story make many song references that are supposed to be songs written for the actual play, but they exist in reality. I will **_**always**_** write where the song is from at the second author's note at the end of the chapter. I recommend trying to listen to the song in the background to make imagining the scene easier.**

**Also, if I describe an outfit very thoroughly, it means I am using a picture for reference. I may or may not add or remove some things on the outfit though. This means that if you want to, I can send you a link with the picture of the outfit I am describing. Simply go to my profile here, find my link to my deviantArt profile for example and send me a note asking for it :) The reason you have to do that is because FanFiction doesn't allow links :P**

**Each chapter will be at least 5.000 words long, but sometimes there'll be more like in this one, but the quota is 5.000 words each chapter ;)**

**I believe that is it for now, excuse the rant. Enjoy! :D**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

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Chapter 1: "Roadside girl"

"Hey, baby!" his best friend said energetically once he had answered the phone that barely rang two times before he grabbed it from his pocket. His best friend, Arnold, shook his head in amusement across from where he was sitting, earning a poke from the other boy's hand. "Naw, Arnold just still finds it very funny that I like hearing your voice." He said in the phone. Arnold suspected that his best friend's girlfriend, Phoebe Heyerdahl, had heard his former groan in pain from the rather rough stab to his chest and that she had asked what it was. Arnold simply snickered as he let Gerald keep talking. He envied him, if he had to be honest. Gerald Johanssen and Phoebe Heyerdahl had been an on and off couple for several years before they finally realized that they would always end up back together again anyway and had then done what had seemed like the most logical thing at the time: moved in together. Gerald had half the mind back then to just pop her the big question right away, but they had after all only left the teenage years about a year ago so he had settled with living in the same house as her.

On Arnold's side, he couldn't be happier for his best friend. Phoebe was Gerald's complete opposite in more ways than one so the on and off relationship hadn't been much of a surprise. Phoebe was a very book smart girl while Gerald was more street smart. Phoebe was a half-American half-Japanese girl whose grades had always been in the top of whichever class she was in. Gerald was a half-American half-African boy that cared more about his appearance than any classes, with the exception of sport. They had managed to fall in love anyhow and it finally seemed to be paying off for the both of them. After several years of fighting, breaking up and getting back together, a couple of months ago they seemed to have found some middle ground. Gerald had mentioned that something in the way Phoebe looked at him had suddenly changed for the better, but she had refused to tell him what had made her see things in a different light. He was just thankful to whatever or whoever had made her give him yet another chance.

"Wait. What?" Gerald suddenly asked in a confused voice, which caught Arnold's attention. As he looked at his best friend through his whole life, he lifted the glass of soda to his mouth. "Helga Pataki is in Hillwood?" Gerald asked in shock, but it was nothing compared to the shock Arnold felt. His eyes practically popped out of his eye sockets and he choked on the soda that had been running down his throat. He put the glass back down, coughing some of the soda back in the glass and onto the floor. Gerald quickly tossed him the package of tissues, but he seemed to be rather affected by the information his girlfriend had just given him so he didn't do much else.

"What is Pataki doing back in Hillwood?" Gerald asked while Arnold desperately tried to still his coughing and had to wave reassuringly at a few concerned customers. Once he could breathe again, he did his best to gawk Gerald's reaction to whatever Phoebe was telling him about her best friend Helga Pataki. Helga was a girl Arnold and Gerald had known for as long as they had known each other and Phoebe for that matter. They had grown up together, but Arnold and Helga had always been more than less friendly with each other. If one had asked Arnold what Helga was to him, he would have told them that she was that one person he was as close to hating without actually hating her. His feelings for her also kept changing depending on their age. From hating her to accepting her to hating her again to feel inferior, superior and for a short amount of time, even loving her.

Arnold had indeed had feelings for Helga for a short while back when they were about thirteen years old. He had barely come to terms with those very unwelcome feelings when Helga had declared that she was going to study abroad. The declaration had been on the very same day that she was leaving and Arnold had been so shocked that he hadn't had it in him to say goodbye at the airport with the rest of the class. He felt so betrayed in a way he hadn't before and even though he knew it was impossible, a part of him feared that she had figured out he had feelings for her and then had run away. He kept going back and forth between thinking she had ran away, because that was just Helga's thing: running away when people got too close, but he also sometimes thought she had gone away just to be mean. Whenever they seemed to get closer in the past too, Helga would eventually show her claws again and then they were back to the beginning. Her leaving to study abroad had felt like her way of saying: "Ha-ha! Got you again!"

"Huh…" Gerald muttered thoughtfully. He stood up from his seat, went around the table and then plumbed down next to Arnold. He looked at him in slight worry because of the scowl that was now decorating his features. Arnold had never come around to tell Gerald that he'd may have had feelings for his childhood bully for a short amount of time. Ever since Helga had left, the resentment for her had come back and now when her name was mentioned again seven years later, he could feel the old hatred boiling up again. "Yeah, I guess I can pick you up at Hillwood Theatre." Gerald said as he patted Arnold's shoulder apologetically. Arnold groaned at the thought of being ditched, but he nodded in understanding, but his face went slack with shock when Gerald asked Phoebe if he could bring Arnold along.

"Are you _insane_?!" Arnold asked in a low hiss, but Gerald waved him off. "Ok, we'll make sure to be quiet once we get in. See you then, babe." Gerald said, hung up and put his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, man, but _Pataki_ is gonna be there and I need a buffer from those fists of hers!" he explained, but Arnold couldn't help but think that Gerald should be fearing _his_ fists as well right then. "I don't want to see Helga! I finally got rid of her when I was thirteen and now she's back?!" he asked in disbelief and Gerald connected his palms in a way of pleading with Arnold; it was something he had learned from Phoebe. "I'm begging you! I can't possibly face Ol' Betsy and The Five Avengers on my own!"

"Who says she'll punch you? I'm sure that seven years of studying acting has made her capable of pretending not to hate you." Arnold insisted. "Exactly! She might just do the same for you." Gerald pointed out and nudged his elbow against Arnold's arm. "Well, I can't do the same." Arnold said and looked out of the window. "Dude, I know she made your childhood a living hell. She did that to the rest of us too." Gerald said, but realized by the way Arnold snorted that his words weren't getting through. "She was your favorite victim, I _know_, but it's been seven years, man and… you are still stuck in the past."

Arnold frowned at that. He knew Gerald was right; those small positive feelings he'd had for Helga when he was thirteen had completely turned into complete loathing ever since. He knew it probably wasn't fair; she had probably left to study acting simply because she wanted to and not because she'd had some hidden agenda to hurt him one last time. It had still felt like such a blow to his stomach, especially since Helga had once told him that she had feelings for him too. They had only been nine and they had agreed to never speak of it again, but Arnold remembered it so clearly even now when he was 20 years old. A girl had never declared her love for him the same way Helga Pataki had that ungodly early morning on that roof. She had never been so vulnerable in front of him or anyone else before and even now he felt some sort of pride at having been that one person to have seen her like that; raw and full of love. For _him_.

Arnold didn't have a clue what Helga felt for him now or if she even remembered him. What could have felt like earth-shattering love to a child could in reality just have been a small crush. A crush that had lasted since the first time she had laid eyes on his stupid Football Head as she had called it, but it could still have just been childish adoration for something he wasn't sure he was anymore. As a child, Arnold was very helpful and generous and while he still was that as a young adult then he had matured through the years and the dark aspects of his life had finally gotten to him.

Arnold had never met his parents, they had been declared dead when their corpses had been found in San Lorenzo when he was about twelve years old. Once that his parents' death had become a reality, he had sunk down into such a pit of darkness that not even Gerald had been able to get him out of his bed. It had actually been Helga that had yanked him out of the bed, thrown a bucket of cold water over him and even dressed him only to force him out in the baking sun. At that moment, he had hated her with every fiber of his being, but he was pretty sure that was also when he had started loving her.

"Arnold?" Gerald asked and nudged his hand against Arnold's arm. "Huh?" he muttered and turned to look at him. "Sorry, man, but you seemed so lost in thought. Thinking about old times?" Gerald asked with a small smile and Arnold readjusted himself on the seat. "I am, in fact. I was just thinking about back when my parents were found…" He admitted with a sad smile on his face. "Oh, you were remembering how Helga got you out of your room?" Gerald asked and snickered, which Arnold did as well. "Yeah, she, uh… she was stubborn."

"I'll say. I never thought she would actually _bathe_ you." Gerald said and Arnold blushed slightly at the memory. "She didn't _bathe_ me. She threw a bucket of water on me and… then used a wet wash cloth on me." He corrected. "While you were naked." Gerald pointed out. "I was wearing underwear, you pervert." Arnold corrected once more and chuckled lowly. "See? Helga got you out of the worst rut you've ever been in. That must have meant _something_ to you, right? She wasn't all bad." Gerald said with hope in his voice, but Arnold's smile faded away at that. "When did _you_ become Mr. Brightside?" he asked with a bit of melancholy in his voice. "Since you _stopped_." Gerald said and swatted gently at Arnold's shoulder. "Someone has to look on the bright side. When did you stop being that someone?"

"When I was thirteen, I guess…" Arnold confessed. "Yeah, the teenage years seemed to change you a lot, man." Gerald said with a look in his eyes that told Arnold that he was seeing several memories passing on in his brain. When he seemed to come back to his senses, he grinned at Arnold before nudging his head roughly. "But you're still Arnold!" he insisted before getting up from the seat. Arnold smiled at Gerald's gesture before he finally caved in and stood up. He quickly left some tip for the waiter before following Gerald out of the way café. "You think so?"

"Do I think what?" Gerald asked in confusion before shoving his hands into his pockets despite the warm weather. "That I'm still… Arnold?" Arnold asked and readjusted his hood. Gerald looked at him in slight surprise and was about to answer without hesitation, but when he saw the gravity on his friend's face, he decided to give it some thought before he answered. "Well… you've grown. You've matured. You're not a child anymore so of course you can't be the _exact_ same Arnold like when we were kids." He admitted before starting to walk. Arnold was quiet for a moment as he pondered Gerald's words. "I guess you're right. It's just… I guess I thought I would always be the same on _some_ level." He muttered with a bit of a frown. "Oh, you've still got your Arnold traits." Gerald said with a smile and Arnold looked curiously at him. "Like what?"

"The way your face scrunches when you're thinking hard about something." Gerald said a little jokingly and Arnold rolled his eyes. "The way you laugh good-heartedly even when you're extremely annoyed." Gerald continued and Arnold laughed for good measure. "And… the fact that you want to be a therapist." He finally continued and that caught Arnold's attention. Gerald was looking at him with a serious smile on his face compared to the former grin. "You'll always be the good Samaritan, Arnold. You planning to be a therapist proves that… and that's the thing you're most known for; helping people. So, yeah, you've changed through the years, but you still have your roots."

Arnold slowly smiled and that eventually turned into a broad grin. "Thanks, Gerald." He said appreciatively. "You're welcome." He answered and rocked a little from side to side as he walked. "You're the same though." Arnold said with a bit of a teasing gleam in his eyes. "I am?" Gerald asked while quirking an eyebrow at Arnold's statement. "Yeah… I still wonder when that hair of yours will make you fall face first on the street." Arnold said and managed to do so without snickering until he was done talking. "Why, you little!" Gerald said and started to wrestle with Arnold even though he knew it had been a bad idea. Arnold's many years of karate lessons was too much of an advantage and he quickly got the upper hand. "I fold, I fold!" Gerald insisted with a laugh and Arnold let go of him. "Man…" Gerald muttered. "All that talk about Helga Pataki has made you _vicious_."

* * *

"So they're practicing right now?" Arnold asked in a low voice once he and Gerald had approached Hillwood Theatre. There was another building nearby, which they had been in once before called Civic Opera, but that place were for operas only. Arnold didn't know what kind of play Helga was supposedly participating in, but at least now he knew it wasn't opera. That had also made him fall backwards with laughter if it had been. The mere image of Helga in some big white fluffy wig made him cringe and chuckle all at the same time. "Yeah. Phoebe said that she just had to see Helga now that she was in Hillwood. I guess I don't blame her." Gerald answered in a low voice while they tried to figure out where to go.

"What kind of play is this?" Arnold asked when he heard some music in the distance. "Beats me. Phoebe said that Helga is the protagonist though and that the director _asked_ her to play the heroine. Helga didn't even have to audition for it." Gerald answered and the answer surprised Arnold. "Has Helga become that famous? Good? Popular?" he asked, unsure of which word was the most appropriate, and Gerald turned to look at him. "I think so. Phoebe keeps telling me about the things that Helga tells her about the plays she's in. She's done a lot of famous ones. Even ones _I_ know." He explained and leaned an eye against the door. "The music is dying, but I think it's in here."

Arnold listened for a moment and the somehow heavy metal like sound disappeared. "Do we just go in?" he asked. "Phoebe said she'd be inside at one of the front row seats so I guess so." Gerald answered with a shrug before opening the door as softly as possible. The two boys peered inside and saw the big scene at the far end of the room along with many, _many_ rows of seats in front of them. Above them were balconies with seats as well they presumed. Overall, there was a rather majestic look in the red and golden colors inside the theatre.

"There she is." Gerald whispered and crouched as he walked inside. Arnold closed the door behind him and followed Gerald through the seats. He looked at the stage as he approached it. A man with a headset on his head, which was naturally attached to the microphone in front of his lips, barked orders at the people on the stage. A young man, around Arnold's age he believed, but perhaps a little older, was listening very intently to the director while some girls in the background were doing the same, but it was obviously the boy who was listening the most. The director was saying something about how the guy on the stage needed to put more anger in his voice when he sang some specific lines and the actor nodded in understanding.

"Hey, babe." Arnold heard Gerald say all of a sudden. When he turned his head, he realized that he and Gerald had already sat down at one of the front row seats. "Hi, Gerald." Phoebe whispered before kissing his cheek and patting Arnold on his shoulder. "Good afternoon, Arnold." she whispered to him and he nodded at her with a smile. "Good seeing you, Phoebe… I don't see Helga though?" Arnold questioned and looked around. "One of the costume designers is borrowing her for a bit. The first one of one of her outfits is done already. The costume designer had an epiphany." Phoebe said with an excited smile and turned to look at the stage again. _Already?_ Arnold thought curiously, but looked up at the stage anyhow.

"Helga." The director said suddenly in a loud voice, looking way past the stage it seemed. A small static noise echoed in the room before Arnold heard Helga's voice for the first time in seven years over the speakers. "Yes?" she asked. "She must have turned on her own mic or something…" Gerald observed absentmindedly and looked around as if he expected Helga to appear out of nowhere. "Does the costume fit?" the director asked. "Does it _fit_, you ask… There's not much fabric here for anything having to _fit_." She said with a bit of a chuckle. "But, yeah, I think I'm capable in this."

"What kind of play is this?" Arnold asked with a frown and leaned forward to look at Phoebe when she did the same thing. "It's called Roadside Girl." She said, but he just kept looking at her in confusion. "To make it short, it's about a girl, in this case Helga, who is selling her body on her boyfriend's request. He kidnapped her when she was just a small child and has convinced her that a woman's worth is calculated by how many men is willing to pay to have her. There's a man though, who - - " she whispered, but then the sound of Helga's voice on the speakers interrupted her. "Should we do the _I'm your favorite drug_ scene since I'm in the costume? I'm not sure if I can do some of the stunts in these boots." She admitted. "Good idea, Helga." The director said. "Come on in."

Phoebe looked at Arnold for a moment, but leaned back when she noticed that he seemed to have forgotten their former conversation. He had leaned back and was looking at the stage with big eyes when Helga appeared. She looked like herself and yet not at all. She still had blonde hair, but the ends of those golden locks were dip dyed dark pink. The hair was also longer now. Even with it in a ponytail, it went all the way to the middle part of her back. If it was loose, it'd probably go to her waist, curled or not, which it was right then. She was wearing an outfit that made the blood in Arnold's body go south. On her feet, as she had mentioned earlier, were a pair of black boots that went a little above her ankles, until you could see the pink fishnet stockings. They went all the way up to her thighs before turning into black garters. Around her hips was a very _short_ skirt that only hid the most necessary thereby showing off her cream-colored stomach and the naval piercing she had. On her chest was a pink corset that also only hid her breasts and nothing else. The corset was decorated with black strings on the middle and black lace at the valley of her breasts. She was wearing a black leather bolero jacket, which fell to her lower back and the sleeves stopped halfway on her arm. On her hands were a pair of dark purple gloves, which were fingerless and showed off some black nail polish.

"Oh, my _God_…" Gerald muttered in absolute disbelief while Arnold was incapable of even _thinking_ anything. Phoebe pushed a little at Gerald though, earning an apologetic smile from him. "Hey, I haven't seen Pataki since we were _children_. Cut me some slack." He said before kissing her temple and she smiled at him. She looked back up at the stage in time for Helga to walk around herself and look at the director. "What do you think?" she asked just before the guy from before whistled. "I'd say it looks perfect." He said with almost pride in his voice. Helga put one of her feet far behind her and bowed deeply in a dramatic way. "Thank you, David, but I don't believe that the words of the man who plays my _pimp_ is very reliable." She said, earning a laugh from the rest of the cast. David lifted his hands up in mock surrender and stepped back.

"It does look perfect, Helga. You said you were nervous about the boots?" the director asked with a smile. "Yeah." Helga said and twisted her ankle so that when she bend it, she could look at the boot. "I just think that some of the stunts with the pole may prove to be a little difficult for me in shoes with such thin heels." She admitted before putting her foot back on the floor. "We'll just have to see for ourselves. Ok, Helga, on your position." He said and looked up towards the place where the sound technician was sitting. "_I'm your favorite drug_!" he said in the mic. "Oh, are you now?" the guy named David couldn't help but joke and Arnold noticed that Helga laughed at his words before placing herself at the edge of the stage, readjusting the mic which was plastered on her face.

The heavy sound of drums began, but just as soon as it begun, it was stopped when Helga saw Arnold on one of the seats and screamed his name in utter shock. "Ow!" everyone in the room groaned, including the girl herself, but her face was still painted with mortification. "Helga, what was that?" the director asked and looked in the same direction as her. "If these people are distracting you, we need to ask them to leave." He told her and waited for her response, but it didn't come as promptly as he had expected. Helga was gawking at Arnold and he was doing the same before he lifted his hand to wave at her awkwardly. "H-Hi there, Helga…"

Helga seemed too shocked to react at first, but then she turned to frown at Phoebe. "Phoebe?" she questioned and the girl waved her hands apologetically. "I'm sorry, Helga. I asked Gerald to come and pick me up and he asked if Arnold could come along." She explained and Helga sighed heavily. "Helga, do you want us to leave?" Arnold asked gently, but he secretly hoped she would let them stay. This was the first time he was seeing her in seven years and he had just realized that he actually missed her. She turned her eyes to look at him, a look of displeasure and uncertainty in them, but then she shook her head. "No. Stay." She said and repositioned herself. "Criminy…" she muttered and Arnold couldn't help but smile at hearing her say that word again. She took a deep breath and looked up at the sound room. "Start the music!"

The sound of the harsh drums echoed in the room again and when Helga opened her eyes, it was as if the usual bright blue color had turned darker. Arnold's eyes went wide when her whole body seemed to jerk in beat to the music before she started singing. "_What you get is what you see. It won't take much to get hooked on me. So shoot me right into your skin… and I will be your heroine._" She sang in a raspy voice that matched perfectly with the hardcore music that was booming in the whole room. When she continued, her voice grew louder, almost as if she was yelling, but it still had a sort of raw beauty to it. "_The side effects are sexual. I'm dying for a taste. The side effects are sexual and you love the way I say._"

Helga went quiet for long enough for two loud beats of the drums to echo in the room and then the sound of an electric guitar picked up the beat. "_I'm your favorite drug… Your favorite drug. Just one hit is never enough. I'm your favorite drug… Your favorite drug. You can't break this addiction up._" She sang in a harsh voice, her face sometimes scrunching in pain as if it hurt to sing though Arnold expected it to be a part of the acting. He was completely mesmerized. This song, this whole scene was completely out of the world; he had never seen anything like it. Helga's coarse, but beautiful voice, the way her body jerked to the music from time to time, making her look like a broken doll, her hair cascading and flipping around when she would bop her head. The whole image in front of him had him sitting on the edge of the seat and he wasn't quite sure in which way.

"Is this really Helga Pataki?" Gerald whispered in Arnold's ear, but barely got the blonde boy's attention. "She's _hot_." He added in disbelief and Arnold couldn't do anything else than nod slightly, his eyes still glued to Helga. Gerald nudged his elbow at Arnold and the boy finally looked at him. Gerald wiggled his eyebrows teasingly. "What are you feeling? Something along Stockholm syndrome?" he asked, earning a push to his shoulder. Arnold was blushing slightly, but Gerald was wrong. True, Helga was definitely attractive on a completely different level now, but Arnold was still holding a grudge against her. Right now though… he couldn't really remember why.

Helga was starting to clutch her hair in her fingers, holding onto the locks desperately as she kept singing. "Helga, try it with the pole this time." The director said over the mic, cutting through her voice. Without even a hint of hesitation, Helga slowly went to the right, getting closer to Arnold and the others. _Pole?!_ He thought in disbelief and once her hand was around it, he saw that there was indeed a pole on the stage. Several even, but they mostly looked like thin posts for the purpose of decoration. The scene was obviously not done yet, Arnold couldn't see where Helga's character was supposed to be in the play, but that was to be expected. Helga hadn't been in Hillwood for that long yet.

The song slowed down significantly and it turned into just a dull sound of the drum with a bit of a riff from the guitar. Helga's motions also slowed down as if the pole she had just grabbed had slowed the whole world down. "_I'm your pleasure… and your pain. I'll numb your fear just like cocaine and… I'm your treasure… Say my name._" She sang as her hands went above her head, holding onto the pole and her hips slowly swayed. Her knees bend and she got closer to the floor. Arnold could see the somehow hollow look in her eyes; she was desperately trying to forget that the people who had known her since childhood was here watching her dance this way.

As intoxicating as Helga's motions were, Arnold couldn't help but look up towards the ceiling. The pole looked somehow rickety; it probably hadn't been placed properly just yet. _If Helga keeps doing what she's doing, nothing will go wrong I think, but if she puts more weight into it then…_ Arnold thought nervously. He wasn't even aware of how much at the end of the seat he was sitting, subconsciously ready to leap up if he believed the post would give in.

As if Arnold had seen it coming, when Helga sang the next words, she turned around, her hands still on the post and she was about to lean back when the small crack ricocheted in Arnold's ears. "Watch out!" he yelled even before the post gave away and leapt up from his seat. Helga's shriek pierced his ears, but he held out his arms when he saw her coming flying towards him. He grabbed onto whatever he could of her and just kept his eyes closed in panic. "Helga!" he could hear some people exclaim in shock, but he couldn't really hear them. The only thing he was sure of was that Helga's back was against his chest, but her hands were clutching his arms tightly, shaking with the fear still running through her.

Arnold finally opened his eyes and saw that Helga was indeed safe in his arms. Her whole body was shaking, but her feet was on the floor and she was standing up with the help of his arms around her naked waist. Her nails were digging into him painfully as she looked at the post, which was now laying on the carpeted floor in front of them and _not_ securely shoved into the wooded stage. "Are you hurt, Helga?" the director asked while the rest of the actors approached them. Arnold looked at her in worried expectance, but she wasn't answering at first. "Uh… y-yeah… Thanks to Football Head here." She said and readjusted herself in his hold, attempting to stand up straight, but her legs wobbled again. "I need to sit down though."

Without a second thought, Arnold tightened his hold around Helga and led her a couple of steps back to put her safely into her seat. She looked at him with something akin to confused appreciation, but she looked pretty shook up. Arnold crouched next to her and looked at her worriedly. She took a couple of hard breaths before scowling at the director. "Who was in care of putting that thing there?" she asked in a shaky, but angry voice. "I'll make sure to let them know of their mistake, Helga, but more importantly; are you hurt?" he asked again, but she swatted her hand. "No. Just… in shock." She answered only to then stretch her leg and look at her boot. "Aw, shit." She said and took the boot off, showing that the heel was now broken. "Sorry, Darlene…"

A slightly older woman with a gray tone in her dark blonde hair shook her head in understanding. "We can get new boots, Helga, but we can't get a new Adrasteia." She said and Arnold frowned in confusion for a moment until he remembered that Adrasteia probably was the name of Helga's character. _It sounds familiar… I should probably google it when I get home._ He thought and looked at Phoebe who looked just as worried as Gerald did. When their eyes met though, she smiled with appreciation. "Thank you for saving her, Arnold." she said and the rest of the crew chimed in and gave their own thanks. He simply smiled, feeling somewhat uncomfortable from the attention for doing something he hadn't done for the praise, but when he felt Helga's hand on his upper arm and saw her appreciative smile, he nodded. "Uh, you're welcome. I just… reacted."

"Thanks anyways, Arnold." Helga said and readjusted herself in the seat. "We've already lost _one_ actor for breaking a leg. I'm guessing that everyone thought that would happen again." she explained and exhaled deeply. "You're missing an actor?" Arnold asked before sitting down next to Helga. "You can say that again." the guy called David chimed in and crossed his arms. "We're missing an Aiden." He explained. "An Aiden? I'm sorry, I don't really know the plot of the play. Is Aiden an important character?" Arnold asked. "He's the deuteragonist." David answered, but Arnold simply frowned in confusion. "Second most important." Helga explained in something akin to sympathy and he nodded in appreciation. "You being the most important, right?"

Helga shrugged in slight modesty, but nodded in earnest. "Yeah, I play Adrasteia, but she needs her Aiden as much as Juliet needs her Romeo." She explained with a sulk on her face as she took the other boot off her foot and looked at the director. "Any luck with finding a new actor by the way?" she asked, but he shook his head. "No." he answered, obviously not wanting to explain any further with people outside of the crew in the room. Helga sighed and leaned her head back on the seat. "Shit…" she muttered. "We're getting desperate here. The play has a deadline, people. We need an Aiden before next week so we need to start thinking out of the box… Do we know anyone with acting experience ourselves?"

Like a shot of lightning, Gerald grabbed Arnold's hand and waved it in the air. "I do, I do!" he chimed in a singsong voice, earning some confused stares, included from the boy whose hand he was holding. "Gerald!" he scolded and withdrew his arm to his chest. "Do you have acting experience?" the director asked, but Arnold shook his head instantly. "N-Nothing like what you guys are doing! We're talking small plays in high school. I'm no professional." He said and waved his hands around in slight panic. A maniac laugh from Helga caught everybody's attention and she looked at Arnold in disbelief. "You? Acting? Oh, please." She said with a bit of nastiness in her voice. "You're too honest. You can't lie worth shit so you can't act worth shit either."

Arnold frowned at Helga's words. _Now, there's the Helga I know…_ He thought with a bit of disappointment. "I was actually casted as the hero in most of the plays in high school." He muttered in defiance, but that did little to nothing to stop Helga's laughter. "Yeah, in _high school_. Arnold, most of the people in front of you have acted professionally before. Some of us even for _years_. That Tall Hair Boy actually suggested _you_ playing the role of Aiden is ridiculous. No, we need someone who can actually _act_." She said and stood up from her seat. "Helga, you haven't known me for _seven_ years. You don't know what I can or can't do anymore." Arnold insisted and stood up as well. Helga turned and looked at him in disbelief, but she was also smiling. "Oh, so you have changed, Arnold?" she asked and started walking past him. "So you're not stuck in your same old ways anymore?"

"No!"

"So you don't help everyone else around you at all times anymore?"

"Well, I try, but - - "

"And you don't live at Sunset Arms anymore for the nostalgia more than anything else?"

"I do, but that doesn't - - "

"You're _not_ still chasing dumb pretty girls that never gives you the time of day?"

"How would you - - "

"And let me guess." Helga said when she was finally right in front of Arnold. "You're _not_ studying to be a therapist or something like that?" she asked and Arnold was dumbstruck at the accuracy of her presumptions. Was he really that see-through? Even at the age of 20 years? She smiled at his silence. "Figures. You haven't changed at all, Shortman." She said, crossed her arms and turned around again. "You can't save everyone all the time, Arnold, even with your good intentions. We need an actor, not a therapist."

"What does all that…?" Arnold started, shook his head to get out of his reverie and then scowled at Helga's back. "All those things don't tell you anything about my acting skills, Helga!" he said and she turned around to look at him in surprise. "Wanna bet?" she asked and walked towards to him once more. "Sure! Give me something to read aloud or something." He challenged and they were right in front of each other again. "It would be a waste of time, Shortman, something we can't afford to lose." She said, but then something on her face changed. He couldn't read her expression at all though. "You know what? Fine. I know _just_ the scene." She said with something akin to malice on her face and then walked away. They all looked at her, afraid of stopping whatever she was planning, as she grabbed a large stack of paper from the corner of the stage and walked back to Arnold. "Wanna play actor? Go right ahead." she told him before shoving the stack into Arnold's chest. "Page 16 from line 4 to line 24. I'm gonna go get something to drink and when I come back, you'd better know your lines."

Arnold watched Helga as she walked away, clearly stomping a little bit. Once she was out of the room, he slumped down in one of the seats. "Never seen her like that before…" David muttered in obvious shock at the anger on Helga's face. "You're kidding?" Gerald asked. "That's the _only_ way we've ever seen Helga." He added, but David kept looking at him in disbelief. "You're kidding?" he asked this time and looked towards where Helga had gone. "I'm gonna go and ask if she's ok." He told the director who nodded. "If she's ok?" Gerald repeated in disbelief while David walked away. "We would ask her that if she was being _nice_!"

The actors looked at each other in surprise at Gerald's words, but decided to ignore him. They each went to either talk with each other or practice their lines and Gerald was left back with Phoebe and Arnold. "What just happened? Arnold, are you seriously gonna do this? I was just joking around…" he said and looked at Arnold. The blonde boy was currently reading the text on the script very intensely, not at all listening to his friend. "Arnold?" Gerald asked a little worriedly as Arnold's eyes darted over the paper. He turned to cast a worried look in Phoebe's direction who did the same at him. "Roadside girl, huh?" he said and shook his head. "Arnold's new personal Macbeth."

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**Author's 2nd note: So this was the first chapter! Yay! Just so you know, the part where I mention that Helga was the one to get Arnold out of his room once his parents had been found dead is actually an old idea I have for a one-shot. I may attempt to write it, I don't know xD So this is it for now, hope you enjoyed and yadda-yadda-yadda xD Oh, and I am figuring that most of you know what Gerald means by "Roadside girl" being Arnold's personal "Macbeth", but in case you don't; Macbeth in the acting world is known to bring misfortune to a play if someone says Macbeth aloud. It's superstition, obviously, but it's funny when some people take it seriously xD**

**Song: "I'm your favorite drug" by Porcelain and the tramps**

**As always you are more than welcome to draw cover art for this story :D**


	2. Awkward enough

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter: **_**After having not seen Helga for about seven years, seeing her again had brought mixed feelings to Arnold's heart. The only reason he was seeing her again now was also simply because she was back in Hillwood to act in a play. When the actors started talking about how they were in need to have an actor for Aiden, Gerald had lifted Arnold's hand as a joke, but the joke quickly got out of hand. Helga insisted that Arnold couldn't act even if his life depended on it, which turned into somewhat of a bet between them. Now Arnold is stuck reading a scene in the script to prove that he can indeed act, but is he even aware that this is considered his audition?**_

**Author's 1st note: I was really unsure of how to make the dialogue for the plays easy to understand. I mean, if I say that it's Helga talking then surely you know that, but what if she suddenly improvises or whatever? So I figured that when they are speaking their lines, I am going to write the name of the character they are playing. So it **_**is**_** Helga saying the lines, but I'm going to write: "Yadda-yadda-yadda." Adrasteia said. Hope that makes it easy to understand :3**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 2: "Awkward enough"

_Stupid Football Head!_ Helga thought for about the seventh time as she chugged down the glass of water she had in her hand. _I haven't seen him in seven years and the first thing we do is fight! I'm such a basket case, but he's not any better!_ She was groaning heavily when she heard a knock on the door. "Helga, are you ok?" she recognized David's voice asking. With a sigh, she went and opened the door. "No, I'm not!" she answered without censoring herself and let the door open for him to enter. He barely managed to squeeze in before the door closed shut behind him. Helga sat down on the floor; her legs spread and bend so that she could rest her elbows on her knees. "What is it with you and Arnold?" David asked gently before sitting down next to her. "We're… a long story." She answered before drinking from the glass again, this time much slower than before.

"Then summarize." David suggested with a shrug. Helga looked at him and sighed again. "We used to go in the same class and we didn't exactly get along. Basically, I… I bullied him a lot." She admitted and David cocked his head curiously to the side at that before smiling in realization. "You liked him, didn't you?" he asked and Helga basically threw her arms around herself as if that could hide her thoughts. "Am I that see-through?!" she asked in artificial shock and he laughed at the dramatic response. "No, I've just known you for a long time." He explained. "So you liked him… and you punished him for not liking you back?"

"Something like that. Except I never really told him I liked him… until I was nine years old and then took it back, but - - "

"Oh, Helga…"

"Don't 'oh, Helga' me! Only Phoebe is allowed to do that and even then I don't like it. I was… insecure as a child, ok? Not very honest either so… bad attention was better than no attention, I guess."

"What happened after you told him you liked him though?"

"Like I said, I took it back and we never spoke of it again. When I was thirteen, I decided it was time to move on and I took the chance when my sister suggested I'd go and study acting. I haven't heard from him since. He didn't even say goodbye at the airport." Helga explained with a shrug. "Huh… then… after what just happened, what are you feeling now?" David asked with a small, but curious frown. She seemed to think about it for a moment and then shrugged again. "I don't know." She answered. "I almost forgot about him after seven years…"

_That's a huge lie, girl, and you know it._ Helga's subconscious told her and she sighed inwardly. _There hasn't been a day I haven't thought about him. Wondered what he was up to, imagined who he was dating, pondered where he was, what he was doing… but I have changed, dammit. I'm not that lonely, insecure girl anymore. I'm not the same and… he is the same._ She thought, unknowing of David watching her worriedly. "Geraldine?" he asked, which caused her to frown at him. "Why do you always use my middle name in situations like these?" she asked and he smiled as he put his arm over her shoulders. "Because I like that I'm the only one who knows it around here." He explained. She shook her head in amusement. "You're weird."

"Indeed I am." David said before grabbing Helga's hand, throwing himself onto his feet and yanking her up with him. "Now, go kick his ass on that stage." He said with a wink. She smirked at his encouragement, flicked his forehead with her index finger for good measurement and then walked away with him following right behind her. "No matter what our past was or wasn't, Arnold is not going to play Aiden. Not over my dead body. This play is really important to me." She said with a bit of scowl and crossed her arms. "Didn't your agent also mention that a talent scout has been having his eye on you for some time?" David asked and she nodded. "Exactly. This is my big shot in the acting world and if Arnold fucks it up for me, I'm gonna hang him by his underwear in Mighty Pete and that would be me being _nice_."

"Mighty what?"

"Mighty Pete. It's an old tree where we as children used to hang out in the tree house."

"Oh, right. You grew up here. You gotta show me all the good places."

"Sure, if the play won't take up too much of our time." Helga answered before opening the door and walking back into the theatre. She stopped though once they were inside, letting the door close behind her with a loud thud. "Hey." David said and took Helga's hand. Her eyes followed it while he lifted it into a firm grip between them in something resembling what football players did to encourage each other before a game. "Give him hell. You're good at that." he told her. She looked at their hands for a moment before grinning at him. "That I am." She stated and squeezed his hand thankfully before letting go.

"Hey, Football Head. Are you ready to suck?" Helga asked full of confidence. Arnold slowly turned around and she had expected a frown from him, but instead he was smirking. She stopped in her tracks, mostly because she was shocked at his expression, but also because she had reached his seat. "I'm ready to prove you wrong." He corrected and stood up, letting the script fall from his hand and onto the seat. She eyed him for a moment, hoping to find a crack in that confident look of his, but she found nothing. "Then let's get to it. Know your lines?" she asked, but he was already walking past her towards the stage. "I do."

Helga growled for a moment and was about to follow him before she felt someone grab her arm. "Helga." The director said behind her and she turned to look at him. "I don't know what is going on between you two, but no matter the outcome of this little acting challenge, then you _will_ act civil towards him afterwards, understand? There's no room in your schedule to be fighting with some old enemy of yours." He said sternly, but also with a bit of worry in his voice. He had known Helga for a bit of time now and while he knew she could be a hot-tempered young woman then to see her go this far just because of some boy… it was concerning to say the least. She looked at him with a bit of surprise on her face, but she nodded somberly. "Yes, sir. I swear." She told him and then he let go of her arm.

_Don't let Arnold get to you again, girl._ Helga scolded herself as she walked onto the stage. _This isn't about Arnold and it isn't about Helga… It's about Adrasteia… and Aiden._ She thought. Arnold was waiting for Helga to say her first line and when she opened her eyes, he could see that she had completely let go of herself. "Why do you insist on continuing this fruitless hunt?!" Adrasteia yelled at the man who had yet again come to see her. Arnold was stunned for a moment; Helga was really putting all of her soul into it. With a sharp inhale, he chose to do the same. "Because I love you. Why can you not see that?!" Aiden yelled in just as much fury as Adrasteia had. "You do not love me! Love is nothing but a pretty way of saying lust! You can have my body if you wish so, but you can never have my heart." Adrasteia said and made a gesture to her chest.

"I will not have your body until I have your heart, Adrasteia. Your body means nothing to me if it is given out of a sense of duty to that… that… rascal who calls you _his_." Aiden said as he walked closer to Adrasteia, only to see her back away. "Go home, Aiden, wherever that may be and let go of your ideas of pure love. It does not exist in my world and I am only a little sorry to tell you that everlasting love does not exist in yours either." Adrasteia told him before attempting to walk past him. Aiden seemed as if about to let her go, but then grabbed her wrist and forced her to face him again.

While Adrasteia looked at Aiden with defiance, Helga looked at Arnold with expectance. _This is the part where Aiden forces a kiss on Adrasteia… but this is also the place where the lines ends. Is he going to finish the scene or stop here where I told him to? Hmph, he probably doesn't have the guts to attempt to kiss me._ She thought and couldn't help the slightly gleeful smirk that came upon her features. It was such a small smile that only Arnold who was standing so close to her could see it. _She's challenging me. I can see it, but I don't know how she'll react if I actually kiss her…_ He thought with a small frown. He hated those eyes; they were screaming at him that he was a coward and his stubbornness made him dive at her and lock his lips with hers.

Helga didn't need to act that she was shocked; her eyes popped open on their own. She stared at Arnold's closed eyelids as he kissed her. Well, his lips were pressed against hers, but he wasn't doing anything else but holding her wrist. Helga could feel herself starting to shake, but she wasn't sure if it was in anger or surprise. She was ready to either pass out or slap him when she heard the director declare that it was the end of the scene. Arnold let completely go of Helga, but his lips disappeared long before his hand did. She gawked at him for a moment before the director earned her attention again and she looked at him. "That was actually rather splendid, Arnold. You managed to capture both the desperation and the anger in Aiden's personality just now. If you don't mind, would you like to try to sing a few lines from one of the songs?"

Helga's eyes widened. _He's… He's seriously auditioning him. Oh, crap! I didn't think this through at all!_ She thought in slight panic, but on the outside, she was calm and collected. She jumped off the stage, more elegantly than an average person could and grabbed the script. She offered it to Arnold who was still glued to the stage without looking at him. Once it was out of her hand, she went back to the front row to sit next to Phoebe who was giving her a worried look, but Helga refused to look back at her. She could also feel Gerald's eyes on her, but he was mostly looking at her in shock and nothing else.

"I-I don't know the songs." Arnold muttered absentmindedly as he flipped through the pages. "That is true… Then perhaps you can try and sing something else?" the director suggested. Arnold looked thoughtful. He really didn't know what he should sing. He didn't know many songs that belonged on a stage like this and he looked desperately at Gerald for help. The boy frowned thoughtfully for a moment and then smiled. "What about that Brantley Gilbert song you like so much?" he suggested. While the others looked at little confused, Arnold smiled recognition. "Uh, I could try… I'll just take it from the chorus then." He declared, swallowed a little nervous and then began to sing. "_She's my kinda crazy. The little games she plays. Lord, they'll never get old. She's too cute to get on my last nerve._"

Helga widened her eyes in recognition. She wasn't sure how she knew the song, only that she knew it. _What the hell. Why did he choose a song I know and love?_ She thought with a frown, but when she closed her eyes, she couldn't help but sing along softly. Her voice was low, but the people around her noticed and so did Arnold. He couldn't help but smile at the way she bopped her head a little bit as if the melody was playing in her head. "_The way she throws her little fits, poking out her lip and biting mine when we kiss. There ain't a fight that she can't win. That's my baby… and she's my kinda crazy._" He finished and so did Helga. When she opened her eyes, her eyebrows furrowed in disappointment. _Damn… that was pretty good_.

Before the director could praise Arnold for his singing voice as he had intended, Helga started clapping slowly and sardonically, successfully earning a frown from Arnold. "Very good, Arnold, only one problem." She said. "Oh? And what is that, Helga?" Arnold asked and crossed his arms. Before he had started singing, he put the manuscript on the floor next to him. "This cute little love song doesn't exactly _remotely_ resemble the tone in this musical. What I sang before is how most of the song sounds like. Can you sing like that?" she asked him, knowing full well that his face would turn surprised, which it did. "Uh… well. I-I can try. I don't really know any songs like that though…"

Helga rolled her eyes at that. "Which is one of the reasons why I still don't believe you can act in this particular musical. In something else, _sure_, but this musical is dark unlike a lot of musicals. You're not a dark person, Arnold." she pointed out with a matter-of-factly shrug. Arnold was about to disagree, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He did disagree though; if he had still been that thirteen-year-old kid she had known back seven years ago, he wouldn't have though. With a bit of a sigh, he shook his head. "It's called acting, Helga; I don't need to _be_ what I act." He pointed out and she frowned at his logic. "Fair enough. Go ahead; try singing like I did before."

Arnold frowned again. "I don't know the lyrics to your song just yet, Helga." He stated. "Of course not. Adrasteia also has like nine songs while Aiden has three where only one of them is a solo, but who cares about small details like that?" Helga asked sarcastically. "Who indeed…" Arnold muttered, but she ignored him. "Do you know _any_ songs that has the same tone as the musical, Arnold?" she asked challengingly. Arnold closed his eyes, desperately searching through his mental list of songs that he knew, but it was mostly jazz songs that he came across and those were useless right then. A small cough, one that had sounded casual to the rest, Arnold knew was directed at him. He opened his eyes and looked at Gerald who was holding his hand like a gun against his chest, looking as casual as possible. _Gun? Gunshot? Shooting? Uh… Bang? Bang… Bang!_ Arnold thought, at first happy that he had easily guessed what song Gerald had been referring to, but then frowning. _Can I really sing that…?_ He wondered, but he figured he didn't have much other choice. "I remember one." He declared to the director as indifferently as he could, but his insides were churning at the thought of singing that. "Then start when you feel ready." The director responded patiently.

"I'll, uh… start from the chorus again." Arnold said and readjusted himself awkwardly. _No one is in here. It's just me… being gloomy, I guess._ He thought and took a deep breath. "_I go off like a gun, like a loaded weapon. Bang, bang, bang. Grip me in your hands. So here we go again. It echoes in my head. Bang, bang, bang. Grip me in your hands… So I can feel you here with me_." He sang with as rough a voice he could muster, his eyes shut tight in embarrassment. "How…" he heard Helga's voice start and he opened his eyes. "How the hell do you know Armchair Cynics, Football Head?" she asked almost suspiciously. "Gerald introduced me to them." Arnold answered nonchalantly, but the obviously impressed look in her eyes made him smile. She was furious too though. She really had been putting all her hope into his lack of rawness and he was obviously capable of doing it.

"Well, Arnold. I'll say that I am very impressed." The director said before clapping, causing the rest of the actors to do the same. Helga looked around her in slight despair and refused to clap. "I would be honored if you would act as Aiden…" the director said, but then turned to look at Helga whom he noticed was looking away glumly. "If it doesn't mean that Helga will leave the play." He then added, causing said girl to look at him in surprise. "Pardon?" she asked, blinking in confusion. He sighed and readjusted his glasses. "Helga, you make a perfect Adrasteia and it's been a dream of mine for some time to have you play her. I am not prepared to lose you even if I do find the chemistry between you and Arnold perfect for Adrasteia and Aiden. If acting with an old… acquaintance of yours is too much to ask, we will simply have to find someone else to act as Aiden."

Helga looked at Arnold who was looking right at her too. "Do you want to be in this play, Arnold? It's not some random high school play where most of the actors are forced to do it for curricular points." She said as she stood up from her seat. "This is for real. We'll need you around almost 24/7 so I don't want to see any half-assed work from you." she said threateningly, but he stood his ground as well. "You won't." he said sternly. "You know, for the most of us here this is our dream. This isn't yours." She pointed out. "I don't care about his intentions. Only that he has proved to be a good Aiden for now." The director pointed out. "_For now_." Helga repeated for good measure and crossed her arms.

"Please, Helga?" one of the actresses begged as she approached Helga. "He was _really_ good and we are a little desperate." She pointed out with a pleading look in her eyes. Helga was chewing on her lower lip in frustration as several of the actors and dancers approached her with their hands practically folded in begging plead. It was David's hand on her shoulder though that finally made her give in. She gave Arnold a harsh look as she approached him and grabbed his collar to bring him down to her eye level. "You listen to me, Shortman, and listen _good_ because I will not repeat myself." She said and he gulped at the flames in her eyes. "If you fuck this up for any of us, I'll make your life a living hell."

With that, Helga let go of Arnold's collar, causing him to have to put his hands on the stage in order not to fall off it. "_Again_." she added before looking at the director. "I hope we won't live to regret this, sir." She said and gave a pointed look in Arnold's director. "Me too, Helga and… especially since I am going to beg on my metaphorical knees that you will help him?" he asked and her pointed look turned towards him. "Help him?" she repeated and he nodded. "While Arnold definitely has some talent, he is inexperienced. He is going to need a guiding hand according to voice training, movement on the stage and so on. Since most of his scenes has you in it too, I'm hoping that you will take him under your wing."

Helga felt like strangling the director, but figured that doing so would damage her position in the play. She growled deeply and hissed through her teeth. "Very well. For the sake of the play." She said with a sigh and looked at Arnold again. "Prepare yourself, Football Head, I'm a perfectionist." She told him before she headed towards one of the seats further away. "Speaking of which." She said before sitting down and grabbing a pair of black boots, flat with shoelaces. "Girls, mind if we take _Problem_ one more time before we call it a day?" she asked as she put one of the boots on, grabbed the end of each shoelace and then stretched her leg in order to tighten them. The girls sighed for a moment, but then smiled and nodded in agreement. "Perfectionist is right." One of the girls muttered goodheartedly and Helga smiled at her while she put her other boot on. "Better stay for the show, Arnold." she told him before hopping off the seat elegantly and smoothly sliding her back up the stage and hoisting herself onto it.

_Where did she learn to move like that?_ Arnold wondered briefly, but nodded at her suggestion before jumping off the stage and sitting down next to Gerald. "Man, I'm sorry. What the hell did I get you into?" Gerald muttered in shock, but Arnold simply shook his head. "It's ok… Maybe it'll be fun and… I didn't really get to find a part-time job anyway and the exams are almost over so…" he muttered, but he groaned a little anyway. "Arnold, you are aware that it doesn't take only three months to put on a play like this, right?" Phoebe asked with a frown and he nodded. "Yes, I… I know. I'll… figure out something."

"Problem!" Helga said in the mic on her cheek, which she had just turned on again. The audio technician gave her a thumbs-up and then a loud siren-like sound soared through the room. "Ow!" Arnold, Gerald and Phoebe groaned in surprise. The siren died and the beat of a drum, that sounded an awful lot like _We will rock you_ replaced it. Once Arnold's ears had stopped bleeding, he looked back at the stage to see all the girls, Helga in the middle front standing with their right side to the audience. "_Sweat dripping down your chest._" Helga sang as she and her dancers let their hands fall down from their chest to their stomachs, and then their hips jerked around so that their left side was now to the audience instead, their hands on their chests jerking to the beat. "_Thinking about your tattooed knuckles on my thigh, boy-boy-boy_." They connected their hands and swung their arms up and to the side until they fell down to the floor, their left knee on the floor, but the other leg simply bend in a promiscuous position towards the audience. Their right hand gripped their hair as if to pull them back and then they were on both knees, their left hand now in front of their crotch, jerking to the last three words in the line.

"_Cold shower. You've got no power to control how I make you my toy-toy-toy_." Helga continued as the girls get up on their feet with ease, casting their heads backwards and arching their backs. The girls then jumped to one leg, their arms stretched to their sides before pirouetting around themselves, only to then stop short and pirouette the other way. Their arms went to the air and then they jerked their hips as they went to crouch on the floor. "_My hips rocking as we keep lip locking. Got the neighbors screaming even louder-louder_." The girls switched between staying in their crouched position to stretching their thighs and a less than decent positon as their arms jerked from one side to the other in a rapid motion. Their hands then went to their heads as they finally got up in a standing positon again, pirouetting for good measure once more as they did so. Their stretched arms went behind their backs and they rolled their waists slowly in complete contrast to the former jerky motions.

Arnold found himself stunned once again this day. He had never seen any human move like that. Not in real life at least. The fact that Helga was the best dancer on that stage just made it all the more impossible to understand. Helga had never been _feminine_. Pink bow and dress or not! True, this dance was rough and the song did give him some sort of Helga'ish feeling, but to see her hips roll like that and her chest bouncing around was weird in a fantastic way. He gulped as the girls continued to dance and Helga continued singing. "_I'm your dream girl. This is real love, but you know what they say about me._" What had started out with simply rocking to the words with first the right hip and then the left quickly turned back into the jerky motions. The girls put their hands on their knees and then went back to the crouched positon, this time with their knees spread out to each side and the heels of their feet touching. To Arnold's surprise, it was all the girls singing the next sentence. "_That girl is a problem. Girl is a problem. Girl is a problem. Problem_." How they could sing that so smoothly without even gasping for air was a mystery.

While the dancers stayed with their legs spread indecently like that, Helga connected her knees first before falling onto them, lifting one of her arms over her head. She then jerked her left leg high, even bumping her head with it. Arnold's chin almost fell to the floor at that and when she put her feet back to the ground and turned around so that she was on all fours, only to then lift the right leg backwards so that the sole of her foot actually touched the back of her head, he gave up on being shocked.

Arnold barely noticed that the dancers had joined Helga once again because his eyes were locked on her. The song and dance continued, but the music seemed to drown in Arnold's ears and he wasn't paying much attention to it anymore. "I've asked before and I'm asking again: Is this really Helga Pataki?" Gerald muttered in absolute shock as his eyes kept following Helga's hips jerking from side to side. Arnold still didn't know what to say to that. _She has changed… Well, she's acting right now, technically, but the Helga I knew probably wouldn't have been caught dead doing something like this in an outfit like that, not even for a play._ He thought and sighed a bit. _She's more confident now, I guess._

The girls now had their back turned to the audience, the echo of their voices singing the word _problem_ repeatedly getting lower and lower. They leaned back and got closer and closer to the floor in perfect synch until they were lying on their backs with their legs twisted backwards and up to their sides. David wolf whistled once the music died and clapped along with the actors that were not on the stage. Arnold and his friends did the same thing while the director nodded approvingly. Helga jumped onto her feet with ease and smiled at her dancers. "Now _that's_ perfect." She said approvingly before turning around and jumping off the stage unlike the rest of the dancers who walked securely down the stairs instead.

"As much as I love your Devil may care attitude, you really should be more careful with your body." David pointed out with a grin. Helga crossed her arms, but she was also smirking at him. "What gave you the right to talk about my body?" she asked challengingly. "I'm your pimp, remember?" he asked as he threw his arms to the side dramatically. Helga clicked repeatedly with her tongue in disapproval, but the smirk never left her face. Arnold frowned at them. "What is David and Helga?" he asked in Phoebe's direction who smiled at him. "They've known each other since Helga went to study acting. It's the first time they're in the same play though."

_They have known each other for seven years then?_ Arnold thought. He wasn't sure what to make of Phoebe's answer, but something made his legs stand up and walk towards Helga and David on their own. "When did you learn to dance like that?" he asked, successfully stopping their conversation. "I don't know _when_ per say, but during one of the more dance-focused plays I've been in, I suppose." She answered with a shrug. "I'd say during _Big and loud_ may be a qualified guess." David chimed in and Helga nodded. "Seems about right. Speaking of which; Arnold, can you still dance?" she asked and Arnold looked slightly surprised at her question. "Uh… well, I haven't been taking lessons or anything, but I still remember what my grandma taught me. Why?"

"What do you mean _why_? You're gonna dance too, obviously."

"I am?"

"Well, doi! Actually, one of your first scenes are a tango with me."

"Tan…" Arnold repeated, but never got to finish the word before a series of images roamed through his head. The only girl he had ever done the tango with, his grandma being the exception, was in fact Helga. It had been back in fourth grade and it had been to prank her, but they had nevertheless danced close together. "Earth to Football Headed kid." Helga said before flicking her index finger on his forehead. "Ow!" he exclaimed mostly in surprise and held the slightly sore spot. "You can still do the tango, right?" she asked. "Uh… I think so." He replied.

"You _think_ so? How can you not know?"

"Well, it's not like I break out dancing in random places, Helga." Arnold pointed out with a frown, but Helga just rolled her eyes. "Great… so along with acting and singing practice, I'm also gonna make sure that you can in fact dance. I feel like a fucking babysitter." She said with a groan and looked at David. "Sorry. I guess exploring Hillwood will have to wait for a bit." She said, but he just shook his head in understanding. "Exploring Hillwood?" Arnold repeated. "Well, yeah, not for _my_ sake, but for David's. He's never been in Hillwood before." She explained. "What do you wanna see anyway?"

"How am I supposed to know what's here? Show me the places where you hung out as kids. Like that Mighty Pete treehouse you mentioned before." David suggested and both Arnold and Helga grinned that. "Oh, please tell me that Mighty Pete is still standing?" Helga asked Arnold who nodded. "Yeah… but it has kinda been taken over by the next generation." He said with a nostalgic look. Helga groaned in disapproval, but couldn't help but smile as well. "Damn the next generation!" she cursed dramatically and the boys laughed. She lifted her arms above her head and arched her back until she could hear her spine snap gently. "Oh, that was good… It's not healthy, but it feels good. Do you have any plans right now?" she asked and started walking without waiting for an answer.

Arnold and David looked at each other questioningly and then shrugged. "Who are you talking to?" they asked in unison. "Oh, sorry. I'm talking to Arnold." she answered before turning around and looking at him. "I'm going to introduce you to the songs you're part of today and help you practice vocals if you don't have anything else to do. Also we should go through the list of people we are going to work with so you can get to know everyone." She explained and he was a little surprised at the dignified tone in her voice. "Uh… sure. I don't have any plans." He responded. "Then I'll leave him to you, Helga." David said before walking past her, patting her shoulder once. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yup. See ya." Helga said in his direction. "I'm gonna go change, ok? This outfit is getting a little cold." She told Arnold before continuing her way towards the back stage. "Uh, sure." Arnold answered and couldn't help but watch her as she walked away. _Can't blame her for feeling cold…_ He observed and tore his eyes away from her. _So… I am now going to act in a play as the second most important character with Helga as the most important… and if I have understood correctly, we are supposed to be lovers or something along those lines… Great. As if meeting her again after seven years hasn't been awkward enough; this is Romeo and Juliet all over again. Just worse._

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Like with the outfits I will sometimes use actual dance routines for reference during dance scenes in this story. I have a reference for the **_**Problem**_** scene. You can search for it yourself on YouTube. It's called Natalia Kills – Problem Strip-dance choreography. It's by Lyudmyla Chernova :3**

**Songs:**

**Brantley Gilbert – "My kind of crazy"**

**Armchair Cynics – "Bang"**

**Natalia Kills – "Problem"**


	3. You are not you anymore

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter: **_**David was worried about Helga's strong reaction to this Arnold boy so he decided for confront her about when they were alone. She admitted that she used to have feelings for said boy, but had a hard time showing that as a child. She had bullied him and David understood Helga a little more after that.**_

_**Arnold, much to Helga's displeasure, aced her acting challenge and managed to deliver his lines perfectly and even had the guts to kiss her as the manuscript has told him to do. His singing, while too soft to begin with, also turned out to be good enough for the play. Despite getting the chance to kick Arnold off the cast, Helga let him take the role as Aiden for the sake of the play. She did tell him that she would work him hard though.**_

**Author's 1st note: I want to "confess" something before people get too engrossed in this. If you are expecting this to be as long as "Let me be your hero" (62 chapters) or even as long as "Blackmail toy" (45 chapters) I am going to have to disappoint you. While this **_**is**_** going to be a long project then I don't feel there's enough material or enough originality in this sort of story for it to be prolonged for that amount. That doesn't mean that this story won't have solid ground though and lots of drama and progress with the characters ;)**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 3: "You are not you anymore"

Arnold and Helga walked next to each other in silence. Arnold wasn't sure if it was an awkward one or not though, but he was desperately trying to get a conversation going. _What can I ask her? We haven't seen each other in seven years; there should be plenty to talk about, but I can't think of anything! Also… we're not exactly friends._ He thought and then sighed a little more loudly than he had intended and it caught Helga's ears. She turned her eyes to look at him, but didn't say anything at first. "Was I right?" she asked out of the blue and the blonde boy looked at her. "Um… a-about what?" he asked with a slight stutter. "About the therapist thing." She clarified. "I always figured you would work as something that would help people, but whether it would be therapist or something else I didn't really know. I was just taking a shot in the dark."

"Oh… uh, yeah, you, uh… were spot on actually." Arnold admitted and arched his back a bit for no particular reason. He noticed Helga smiling proudly at having guessed correctly. "So Mr. Brightside with a hint of buttinski is going to be a therapist? No surprise there…" she muttered a little degradingly, but she was still smiling so Arnold didn't know what to think of her words. "I… can't say the same about the profession you've chosen." He said and shook his head in disbelief. "I was pretty shocked when you said that you were going to study acting of all things. How did you come up with that?"

Helga shrugged and looked away from Arnold. "Olga suggested it actually and I… needed a change of scenery so I figured what the hell." She half-lied and half-confessed. Unbeknownst to her, Arnold looked at her curiously. _A change of scenery?_ He thought. He wanted to ask. He wanted to ask so badly that he almost did, but thought against it. "Do you like it?" he asked and he knew it was a dumb question when she looked at him in disbelief. "I wouldn't waste seven years of my life doing something I hate." She pointed out. "Ah, b-but that doesn't necessarily mean that you like it." he stated and she gave him a slanted look. "I _like it_, Arnold, you nitpicker."

Arnold flinched a little at Helga's harsh tone, but he couldn't blame her; he was being pretty stupid after all, but he really didn't know what to talk to her about. "Well… uh… while you're in Hillwood, where are you staying? At a hotel?" he asked innocently. "I wanted to. God knows that I wanted to, but Bob refused to let me stay at a hotel when I could stay with him and Miriam." She answered matter-of-factly. "You're staying with your parents?" Arnold asked in slight disbelief and not because she was 20 years old, which she also knew wasn't the reason why he was surprised. "Yep." She said with a smirk. "Seems like once his youngest daughter turned out to be a successful actress, the tables turned."

"The tables turned?"

"Yeah, he hasn't called me Olga once since about two years ago and I don't constantly have to hear stories about her and he's not comparing me to her unless it's to say that he'd wish that Olga had been as consistent in her choice of career as I have been."

"Whoa, that's… that's quite the change." Arnold observed with a small frown. While Helga never spoke openly about the obvious troubles she had in her family, everyone who knew her family knew of their problems. Bob Pataki, a man who was more concerned with getting a huge amount of income rather than getting to know his children. Miriam Pataki, a woman more concerned with her alcohol-soaked smoothies than… anything else really and then Olga Pataki, a girl more concerned with herself, but constantly putting on a show to convince people that she cared little to nothing about herself and was Miss. Charitable.

Helga nodded at Arnold's statement. "Now I'm the pretty precious princess and Olga is the used-to-be perfect daughter. It's really… weird." She muttered with a small frown. "Aren't you happy in the least?" Arnold asked and she continued to frown albeit thoughtfully now. "More gleeful, I guess, but… it's embarrassing; Bob has every single play I have ever been in on DVD at home. He even has this big collection of newspaper articles with me in it. It's horrifying." She said with her nose scrunched, but Arnold couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, come on, Helga. Aren't you a little bit happy about it?" he asked and leaned a little closer to her for good measure. She looked at him and her smile grew as he asked her again. "Maybe, but I'm more happy about my own accomplishments than the fact that Bob is proud of me."

Arnold smiled, but also felt a little guilty. He had deliberately avoided anything Helga-related in the newspaper or in the acting world. Whenever Gerald would attempt to start a conversation about what Phoebe had told him about Helga, he had changed the subject. He regretted that now; he was somewhat curious about what she had been doing the past seven years. "How many plays have you been in?" he asked and Helga showed him her big eyes. "Are you kidding me? I don't have a number on that anymore." She said and that made his eyes go big as well. "Seriously? Whoa… Can I… Can I, uh…"

"Ask if you're curious, Football Head."

"Uh… can I watch one of the plays you've been in?" Arnold asked innocently, but Helga frowned at his request. "Why?" she asked. "Uh… b-because I haven't watched many plays or musicals in my life so I guess I should now that I'm actually gonna act in one. You know… when in Rome do what Romans do, right?" he asked, but could hear the lack of logic in his voice. She looked at him skeptically, but said that he had a good point, which surprised him. "I remember one of my first acting teachers telling us it was important to go to the theatre, watch plays and read manuscripts in order to become good actors…" she mumbled mostly to herself, but Arnold heard her. "See?" he probed hopefully. She rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm, but then nodded. "Sure. You can watch _one_ play. If you wanna watch more, you're gonna have to buy the DVD." She told him and he couldn't help but salute at the grave tone in her voice, which she rolled her eyes at. "Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

"The DVD's are over there on the shelf." Helga said while she took her shoes off in the hallway. Arnold looked around; the house looked the same since the last time he was there, which was when he was about nine years old. "Isn't your mom home?" he asked as he eased into the living room. "Probably, but she must be sleeping her buzz off in the bedroom." Helga answered from outside in the hallway. Arnold frowned at her matter-of-fact way of handling her family troubles, but he figured it was none of his business. He went towards the shelf and his eyes bugged when he saw how many there were. "Are all of these plays?!" he asked in shock and looked at the titles. "Not _all_ of them." She asked before she walked into the room as well. "Some are from minor plays and some are from interviews. Bob has everything I've ever been in."

"Whoa…" Arnold muttered and skimmed the titles. "Want a soda, Football Head?" Helga asked and he could hear her voice getting smaller as she headed towards the kitchen. "Uh, sure!" he responded, a little confused at her hosting skills; those sure as hell hadn't been there when they were children. His eyes caught a glimpse of something that looked like a collage of newspaper articles. "Are those above the shelf the articles with you in it?" he asked. "Yeah, but most of them are reviews of play that I am _in_ and not about me." She answered from outside the kitchen. He could hear her rummaging around. "_Most_ of them?" he questioned and looked through them. "Yeah, there are a few that are about me." She answered.

Arnold skimmed the titles. Most of them were indeed reviews, titles of the plays and mentioned mostly whom he presumed were the protagonists. When his eyes caught ahold of Helga's name, he inched closer. "_Helga Pataki in the role of Gabrielle is very likely to become a world-known name._ Whoa…" he muttered and then looked at the DVD's, hoping to find the play where Helga is acting as this Gabrielle. The DVD's were neatly organized, probably something Olga had made sure of rather than Bob, and they were categorized into interviews and plays and even in alphabetical order. Arnold grabbed the ones that were plays and then sat down on the blue couch, spreading them carefully in front of him on the coffee table. _Gabrielle… Gabrielle…_ He thought as he looked at the titles.

"There sure are many…" Arnold muttered in awe. "Catch." He heard Helga say and just when he looked up, she threw the can of soda towards him. He barely managed to catch it and she showed him an impressed grin when he did. "Still got your catching skills, I see." She said before sitting down on the other blue couch that was crisscross from the one Arnold was sitting on. She leaned back as she drank from her soda, one of her ankles propped onto her knee in what most boys would probably describe as the male way of sitting with the legs crossed. He smiled a little before he looked at the titles again. "Any of them you don't want me to see?"

"If I thought I would be embarrassed about being in any of these plays, I wouldn't have auditioned."

"Good point… then any recommendations?"

"Yeah, I recommend that you choose one already before I lose my patience with you."

Arnold shot Helga a slanted look at her response, but rather than looking annoyed with him, she was smirking. "Oh, all right." She caved in and leaned over the DVD's. Unlike Arnold, she wasn't careful with them at all. She shoved most of them away carelessly and left three in front of him. "I recommend those three. They are the most recent ones I've been in." she told him and leaned back on the couch. He quickly looked at the covers. "You're on the cover of these three." He observed quietly and looked at her as she shrugged. "What can I say? The more people who know your name the bigger roles you get. Roadside girl is my first protagonist though." She told him and he looked at the covers again.

"Seems like you've played in a lot of different things." Arnold observed. While Helga was indeed on every single cover in front of him, it was definitely not the same Helga. On one of the covers, Helga had a lifeless look on her face, her make-up and clothes suggesting she was some sort of wooden doll. There was even something resembling a crack on her cheek for good measure. Her hands and legs were twisted because of the strings holding her up by some puppeteer above her controlling her. "Aren't you the main character in this one too?" he asked curiously and showed her the cover. "Oh, no, but I understand your confusion though. The puppeteer is actually the main character."

Arnold put the DVD back and looked at the next one. This one seemed to be more upbeat and happy. Helga, along with other girls were lying on what looked like a green meadow, all smiling happily. The grass around one of the girls though was dark and seemed wither to beneath her. "This one seems intriguing…" He muttered curiously. "It's somewhat of a thriller actually. Spoiler: I'm the first girl who dies." Helga said and he frowned at her words. "Helga! Don't spoil it!" he said, but he hadn't been that interested in watching that one. It was the next cover that truly caught his interest.

On the cover, Helga was looking longingly and perhaps even painfully towards a man and a woman who were dancing at the other side of the cover. She was wearing a long, white gown that went all the way to the floor and cascaded over the floor and even beneath the dancing couples' feet. He quickly noticed her name down at the corner and saw that she was acting as Gabrielle in this one. "What is this one about?" he asked curiously even though he had already made his choice. He showed her the cover and when she saw it, she smiled. "Not what you think…" she answered and took it. "Considering the way you were gawking at it, I suppose this is the one you want to watch?"

Arnold nodded excitedly and readjusted himself on the couch as Helga stood up from it and went to the TV. "You were mentioned as Gabrielle in one of the articles." He told her as she sat down on her knees and bend forward to put the DVD into the machine. Arnold had to force his eyes away from her. "Oh, so that's why you wanted to watch it." She stated more than questioned. It wasn't until Arnold heard a soft melody playing that he turned his head towards the TV again. Helga walked back to the couch and sat down as the play started. Arnold was completely engrossed in it from the beginning and he couldn't help but smile at Helga when he saw her name on the screen. She rolled her eyes at his excitement. "This is the one I did before Roadside girl." She told him before the melody died and the play began.

* * *

Arnold didn't speak a single word through the whole play. Helga would comment here and there, but he wouldn't notice; he was far too engrossed with everything on the stage. Helga was right; the play hadn't been about what he thought. He had realized that it was a love triangle, but he had misunderstood who was in the love triangle. Helga was in fact playing a young girl who was in love with her best friend; her best _female_ friend rather than the man she had been dancing with on the cover. The story told that Helga, or rather Gabrielle as her character was called, had been in love with the girl through their whole lives, but had kept it hidden to protect the girl who was of aristocratic decent.

Overall, it was an incredibly sad story about sacrificing yourself for the one you love. In the end, Gabrielle dies by the hand of the girl's husband when he finds out that she loves his wife. The girl never finds out why her best friend through her whole life seemingly committed suicide or that she had loved her with all of her soul ever since they met. It was a horribly sad ending and Arnold had to bite at his lower lip in order not to cry. It wasn't the death scene that he would continue to remember though; it was the song that Gabrielle wrote to her friend somewhere close to the ending of the play, which would also be the cause of the man to find out about her feelings.

Helga, in that white gown she was also wearing on the cover, had been sitting in the middle of the stage that had been decorated as a grand hall. She had been singing at her friend's wedding for everyone to hear, but no one except the husband figured out that Gabrielle was in fact singing to her friend. Once the song had been over, he had caught her alone and had killed her out of spite and perhaps even fear that she would take his wife away from him, but Gabrielle had never had any spiteful intentions towards him or her friend; she had just wished for her happiness.

Arnold could still remember the song, how beautifully Helga had played the piano and sung so smoothly. "_This time we go sublime. Lovers entwined. Devine. Devine. Love is danger. Love is pleasure. Love is pure, the only treasure… I am so in love with you… Make love your goal. The power of love; a force from above. Cleaning my soul… The power of love; a force from above. A sky scraping dove… Flame on burn desire. Love with tongues of fire. Purge the soul. Make love your goal…_" It was almost as if Gabrielle had known this would be her last hour. It had been such a beautifully tense moment that had him on edge the whole time. The way Gabrielle had been smiling at her friend, the way her friend had smiled curiously back at her as if she was slowly realizing the truth and the man who had looked back and forth between them in panic.

Once the play was over, Arnold had to rub his eye in order not to cry. "You sap." Helga teased and threw a tissue at him. He took it, but frowned at her. "I'm not crying." He stated as he kept biting his teeth down on his lower lip. "Only because you're biting your lip so hard that you're even drawing blood." She told him before standing up from the couch. He looked at her in surprise before putting the tissue to his lip and when he pulled back, there was indeed blood on the white tissue. _Crap…_ he thought in embarrassment and kept the tissue at his lip. "I can't believe that was you, Helga." He muttered in order to turn the subject on her wonderful acting rather than his bleeding lip.

"Yeah, lot of people said that. It's definitely my most feminine role ever, despite being lesbian." Helga muttered with a smile and took the DVD out. "Then again people have asked me if I was a dyke several times." She added and walked back to the coffee table to put the disk back in the cover. "Why? Because of the play?" Arnold asked, but she looked at him in disbelief. "_No_, because I'm a tomboy. People can't see the difference being a boyish girl and being a lesbian it seems." She answered and laid down lazily on the couch. "Not that there's anything wrong with being gay." She added as she arched her back, showing off some of her stomach in the process. Arnold caught a sight of her naval piercing when she did. "When did you get that?"

"What? This?" Helga asked before sticking her tongue out, showing the silver ball on her tongue. "No, I meant… Wait, you have a piercing there too?" Arnold asked and leaned towards her to have a closer look, but she pulled her tongue back into her mouth. "Too?" she repeated and looked at her stomach. "Oh, that one! It's so new that I keep forgetting that it's there." She said in slight embarrassment, pulled her sweatshirt back in place and even put her hands above her stomach in order to keep it there. "I got that when I was asked to play Adrasteia."

"Was it for the sake of the play?"

"Both yes and no. The director told me that I would be wearing a fake one and then I told him I wouldn't mind getting a real one. Seemed easier."

"You got _pierced_ just because of that?"

"I've always wanted one, but never got around to do it so I figured why not now?" Helga answered with a shrug. "I'd wish I could just _do_ stuff like that." Arnold muttered, slightly impressed as he laid down on the couch, his head near hers. "What?" Helga uttered in surprise and propped herself up on one elbow so that she could look at him properly. "_You_ want a piercing?" she asked in disbelief. "No!" he answered and laughed at the idea. "A tattoo?" she then asked with even more disbelief dripping out of her voice. "_No_!" he answered yet again. "I just meant… I wish I could just do stuff like that; be spontaneous, take chances." He explained and she laid back down. "You've never had problems with being spontaneous when we were children?" she questioned.

"Ah, well… I've grown older I guess." Arnold answered and he could feel that she was waiting for him to explain further. "I… I'm not very good at being honest either. I never say when I want something." He continued, but he stopped there. They were quiet for a moment, both looking up at the ceiling. "I know that feeling…" she muttered in such a low voice that he became unsure of whether he had been supposed to hear it or not. Before he could question it, she suddenly sat up straight on the couch and turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Let's get started with what we actually came here to do." She said and stood up straight. "Do you know the rhyme 1, 121?" she asked and he sat up to give her a questioning look. "1, 121?" he repeated in confusion and she groaned. "This is gonna be a long day."

* * *

A few hours later, Arnold was ready to faint. No, seriously, he wanted to faint, hit his head and be send to the hospital so he had an excuse to get out of this play. Helga was working him hard like promised and she seemed to be just as tired as he was. She was trying to be patient with him, she really was, but being a person who had worked non-stop in the acting world for seven years straight and having to train someone who didn't even know the basics of it was a challenge of patience she wasn't sure she was ready for. "Stop!" she yelled and Arnold did as told. He even plumbed down to the floor, his whole body spread unceremoniously as his breath ragged in his throat. Helga put her fingers to her nose and rubbed it in frustration. "You know what…? I need a break."

"Yes! A break!" Arnold concurred happily in a childish way and was about to lift his arms in joy, but they fell right back to the floor. "Ow…" he muttered tiredly. "Find another play you want to watch, Arnold and I'll get us something to drink." She ordered before turning to walk towards the kitchen. "What about something to eat instead?" he suggested and managed to sit up. At the mentioning of food, Helga's stomach growled loudly. She put her arms around it in slight horror, but Arnold was too tired to make fun of her. "Your stomach agrees." He observed instead and got himself on all four to crawl towards the coffee table. She frowned in embarrassment, but much like Arnold she was too tired to really care. "Pizza?" she suggested before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Fine with me, but should actors eat pizza?" Arnold asked as he took the cover of Helga as the puppet off the table. "We're actors; not models and I'd say we're pretty fit." Helga answered before appearing in the living room with two cans of Yahoo sodas in her hands. Arnold turned to look at her. "A compliment from Helga Pataki?" he asked and gave her mock disbelieving look. "Don't flatter yourself, Shortman. I was merely stating facts." She answered before putting the sodas on the table while Arnold crawled towards the TV. "God, you look pathetic." She observed with a snicker. Arnold, for good measure and in his tired state, let himself fall to his stomach in an exaggerated tired state, his legs spread indecently on the carpet. It caused her to give a full-blown laugh. He laughed himself when he realized that he was actually joking around _Helga_ and actually liking it.

When Arnold had put the DVD into the machine and crawled back, the sound of thunder made him jump and look towards the screen. "Yeah, this one starts during a night with thunder and lightning. It's a horror." She told him as she grabbed her phone and sat down on the couch. "Oh, yay…" he muttered sarcastically and managed to pull himself up on the couch. _My legs are all wobbly thanks to Helga's exercises… Does she do these exercises regularly?_ He wondered briefly before Helga poked him at his shoulder. "Is a salad pizza ok with you?" she asked and he quirked an eyebrow at her, but she just shrugged innocently. "Sure, but I don't think that necessarily makes it healthier." He pointed out. She put her index finger to her lips and hushed him. "Shh. You." She said and pointed at him. "Shh."

Arnold laughed at Helga's words before turning his eyes back to the screen. He could hear Helga ordering the pizza next to him, but the play had already piqued his interest when several girls, all dressed like puppets appeared on the scene as the sound of a soft guitar riff started. The girls walked in perfect synch to the strings of the guitar and Arnold barely noticed when Helga talked to him. "Just to warn you: _I_ got goose bumps when I read the manuscript for this." she told him and put the phone down. Arnold looked at her with wide, scared eyes. "Uh… could you tell me what this is about? Without busting the whole thing of course." He requested and she pointed at the screen. "To put it simple. The protagonist…" she said and then stopped to look at Arnold again. "The main character." He answered her unsaid question and she smiled. "The protagonist takes the whole my daughter shall never grow up to be a flawed and dirtied human being thing to the ultimate level."

Arnold looked back at the screen and felt his nose scrunching. "Oh… I think I know where this might be going…" he muttered and then went quiet as he kept watching. Arnold had been right; he had in fact known where the story was going. While the father was indeed the main character, the play also focused a lot on Helga who was the daughter. She grew up without a mother and without knowing why she died, which you at some point through the play figured out was because the father killed her. All of the story took place in that big mansion Helga's character, called Aya, lived in with her father. Aya believed that her father was a doctor who helped people, but the audience knows it isn't true though the truth hadn't been revealed just yet when the pizza in real life arrived.

"You just keep watching." Helga said when the doorbell rang and stood up from the couch. "I wasn't planning on taking my eyes off the screen." Arnold told her and did indeed nothing that indicated that he was planning to go anywhere at this moment. She quickly walked in front of the TV for a moment to tease him and he made an angry shriek as he gestured for her to get out of his way. The sound mostly resembled a monkey complaining, causing her to laugh as she continued towards the door. She could recognize the music building up to the biggest scare throughout the play, but she refused to warn Arnold as she opened the front door.

The pizza deliverer barely got to say anything before Arnold's scream in terror interrupted him. Helga laughed loudly and looked through the doorframe and into the living room to see Arnold holding a pillow to his chest and partially his face. "You fucking chicken!" she mocked him and he frowned, but didn't look at her. "Hey, you admitted that you got goose bumps when you read the script!" he retorted. "Yeah, _goose bumps_." Helga pointed out and turned to give the pizza deliverer his money. "You also know what's going to happen at any time. To me, this is new." Arnold pointed out and then let all his concentration fall to the play.

Once Helga had said goodbye to the pizza deliverer and closed the door, she went back to the living room only to see Arnold's big eyes glued to the screen. _He is a little cute when he's scared…_ She observed in her mind before sitting down and serving the pizza. _Wait. That sounded an awful lot like old Helga._ She thought with a frown and shook her head before taking a piece. "Arnold, pizza." She reminded him when he wasn't reaching for a piece. Still with his eyes glued to the screen, he managed to take a piece, albeit only because Helga pushed the pizza close enough for him to be able to reach. He started eating absentmindedly and she laughed at the image.

"I wonder who the first to put salad on pizza was…" Arnold muttered all of a sudden and Helga looked at him curiously and smiled as an answer popped into her head. "Probably a vegetarian." She said and he finally looked at her. He gave her a curious look that told her he wanted her to explain her answer. "Oh, come on. No meat-lover is gonna say: you know what this pizza could use?" she asked in a dark voice and held the pizza up in her hand as if she was Rafiki from Lion King holding Simba on Pride Rock. "Salad!" she ended dramatically and Arnold firstly snickered, trying to hold down his laughter in order not to choke on the food in his throat. "What?!" he asked in incredulity. "Then why are _we_ eating it then? We both eat meat."

"We are simply honoring this man's very brave attempt at putting something healthy on one of the unhealthiest sorts of food in the entire world." Helga said and waved around dramatically. Arnold was so surprised at her words that he was laughing loudly. "Hey, it wasn't that funny." She told him, but couldn't help but smile at the fact that he was laughing so loudly because of something _she_ said. "It's just… the way you said it…" he explained and took a deep breath so that he could focus on the play again. He sighed when he could finally breathe again and then took another bite from the pizza. "Wasn't it creepy to act as Aya?"

"Horribly creepy, but I wanted to try and see if I could do it."

"You're doing a good job."

"Gee, thanks." Helga said and laughed when Arnold smirked at her teasingly. The play was coming to an end. Aya had finally realized the father's true intentions: he wished to make her into a doll so that she would forever be young and beautiful. That also meant that she wouldn't be able to move or talk, but still be trapped in her body though. Aya had been running for her life, but had eventually been caught by her father and then the screen went dark. "It doesn't end there, right?!" Arnold asked in horror and saw that Helga shook her head and pointed at the screen. He looked back and the sound of an old clock ticking slowly started. On the scene, sat Aya dressed in a Victorian dress and once the camera zoomed in, you could see that she was now a doll. Arnold opened his mouth in horror as the father caressed her cheek and wished her goodnight after complimenting her new dress.

"That was a horrible ending! So, you're just stuck as a doll for the rest of your life?" Arnold asked and looked at Helga in shock. "Not _me_. Aya is." She corrected and went towards the TV. "But still… that's horrifying…" he muttered with a frown. "It _is_ a _horror_, Arnold." She reminded him as he chewed on his pizza like a child having been denied dessert. "Still… Even horrors sometimes have happy endings." He muttered as she took the DVD out of the machine. "Not this one." She told him and he sighed. "Speaking of which; Arnold, you need to remember that the things you do as Aiden has nothing to do with _you_." she told him and went back to the couch. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I mean…" she said and sat down. "When you are on the stage, when you are Aiden, when you are acting, you are not _you_ anymore. You're someone else. That's the thing most actors struggle with; letting go of themselves on the stage." She said and gave him a grave look. Something in her eyes told him that this was no joke. This was something he needed to remember. "You are not _you_ anymore. I don't want to see Arnold on that stage at _any_ time. When you're on that stage… you're not Arnold."

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: The play Helga was in when she was acting as Aya is actually a reference to a pixel horror game called "Mad father". If you found the story intriguing, then you should try to play it. You can download it for free :3 You can also watch someone else play it on YouTube (Pewdiepie has played the whole thing for example) Oh, and don't worry: I didn't really give away the ending, there's several of them and the ending in this play was one of the bad ones xD**

**Song:**

**Gabrielle Aplin – "The power of love"**


	4. Gag me with a spoon

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter: **_**Arnold and Helga went to Helga's old house in mostly silence. While talking about old times, Arnold also found out that Helga had been in far more plays than he had first thought. With very little perseverance, Arnold got to watch a couple of they plays Helga has been in and they all amazed him.**_

_**Helga had meant it when she said she would work Arnold to the bone. He was sure that once he would fall asleep that night, all he would hear was the names of the cast, vocal exercises and so on. His whole body ached once he and Helga decided to take a break and got something to eat. To his surprise, he was actually having a good time with Helga.**_

**Author's 1st note: I don't know what to say! Enjoy! xD**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 4: "Gag me with a spoon"

The sound of something Arnold believed should have belonged in a fitness center rather than at a theatre was booming in the hall as he walked inside. School had just finished and he had spent most of his recesses talking with the teachers, the principal and so on to tell them about the situation. In the end, they all told him the same: exam first, play later, which was fair enough. He just hoped that it was fair to the director too. He could see the actors, dancers and singers all stretching on the stage. A woman dressed in a tight jumpsuit stretched her arms high above her and the others in front of her did the same.

"Oh, there you are." A male voice next to Arnold suddenly said and he flinched in surprise before noticing that it was the director. "Oh, good afternoon. Um, I have been talking with my teachers in regards to the play…" Arnold said a little nervously. "And judging by how you are fidgeting, it didn't go well?" the director asked in disappointment. "I wouldn't say that, but… they did say that exam first and then they didn't care what I would do." He told him and the director nodded in understanding. "That is acceptable, but I will need you to come after school every day like you have done today and since you are a little behind, you'll need to work extra hours during the weekend."

_The weekend? Do these people ever take breaks?_ Arnold wondered, but nodded in acceptance. The director smiled. "Good. Did you bring something you could exercise in?" he asked and looked at the bag in Arnold's hand, which he lifted at the director's question. "Yes. Helga told me to bring something." He answered with a smile. "You can go and change backstage. They are currently warming up with the dance captain." The director told him and turned to look at the actors again. _The dance captain? Oh, right. The choreographer._ Arnold thought as he remembered Helga's lessons last night that had included all the many, _many_ titles of people who had something to do with the play. Arnold carefully crossed the stage and when the others noticed him, he waved tentatively. The actors waved back at him without stopping their other motions, but Arnold noticed that Helga barely noticed him. _She's probably too focused on what she's doing to notice me… _He thought a little more sullenly that he would like to admit and then proceeded to the backstage.

Unbeknownst to Arnold, Helga did in fact look at him as he disappeared. She turned her face back to the dance captain and did the exercises perfectly, but her head was somewhere else. _What was I doing last night? Arnold and I were frolicking like cats in heat._ Helga thought and in the back of her mind knew it was an overstatement, but she didn't care. _I can't afford to have Arnold affect me. Arnold is the actor who plays Aiden. Nothing more… nothing less._ She thought, but she knew she wasn't capable of forgetting the love and the hurt he had brought her. She wanted to believe that she had changed, but part of her was still that angry little girl who wasn't very good at being kind when she needed to be.

Once Arnold appeared again, changed into some looser clothing more fit to exercise in, he managed to squeeze in next to Helga. "Welcome to, Arnold." the dance captain said with a big smile, a smile bright enough to belong in a toothpaste commercial and then she leaned forward with her hands all the way to the floor. Arnold looked in slight horror when he noticed that most of the people around him could almost reach their feet, Helga being the only one capable of reaching the floor just like the dance captain. Arnold attempted the same, but he could barely get his hands across his knees. _This is painful and humiliating… _ He thought as he caught himself wishing that he hadn't stopped the karate lessons once he had turned eighteen; he seemed a little stiff now. Then he noticed that they were all looking at their thighs rather than around them. _I guess this isn't at all like gym in high school… No one is looking for something to laugh at._

Arnold turned to look at Helga who was currently holding her calves while her nose was touching her thighs. "Impressive…" he muttered to her. She flashed him a smile for a moment, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Thank you for the help yesterday." He whispered to her, desperate for something to take his mind off the pain in his calves. "Sure, but remember that I didn't do it for _you_." she pointed out and let her hands swing to her right foot like the dance captain did, thereby somewhat turning her back to Arnold. He frowned as he copied the action. "Well, yeah, but thank you anyway." He muttered and saw her sigh before she looked at him. "This is not the time for chit-chat, _Arnold_." she said, practically hissing his name as if it had tasted ugly on her tongue. "So if you would please stop distracting me and take this seriously."

"I _am_ taking this - - "

"Shortman. Pataki. Is something the matter?" the dance captain asked and they all looked towards the blonde people. Helga shot Arnold a glare that could kill and he coughed awkwardly as he looked at the dance captain. "N-No, ma'am, I'm sorry." He told her and she looked at him in shock. "Ma'am?! Do I look that old?" she asked one of the actors who instantly shook her head. "Fantastic." Helga muttered to Arnold as the dance captain kept asking the other actors if she was losing her looks. Arnold looked at Helga who, while still stretching, was also continuing to give him a deathly glare. "Apparently my lessons yesterday didn't get through that thick, wide skull of yours because then you would have remembered that I told you that Ludmilla is one of those women who are insecure because of their age. In this world, 40 years old is code for that you're _dying_ in this industry. _Moron_."

Arnold scowled deeply at Helga's words. _We had fun last night. What changed?_ He wondered in the back of his head, but mostly he could feel his fingers clench into a fist. "Helga, I'm not sure what I ever did to you, but - - " he never got to finish his sentence before Helga snorted at his words and stopped stretching to look at him. "Arrogant, aren't we? Who says that anything you have ever done to me has affected me in any way?" she asked him. _Ouch._ Something in the back of Arnold's head said, but he continued to scowl at her. "Well, you're treating me like shit, Helga, which shouldn't surprise me. You've never done anything else than treat me like a torn in your eye." He said with a bit of a growl.

"Then maybe you should stop being so fucking good at pissing me off, Shortman!"

"I must be _really_ good at it because all I ever try to do is be nice to you and yet I piss you off it seems! What am I doing wrong?"

"That list is too fucking long!"

"God, you haven't changed one bit!"

"Oh, I _have_ changed, Arnold and the big difference now is that I can't see what I _ever_ saw in - - "

"Helga!" David's voice boomed across the stage, causing Arnold to flinch. Helga though, the girl David's angry voice had been directed at, simply scowled at him as she crossed her arms. The actors, the director and even the dance captain all went quiet as they watched. "Time-out." He told her sternly. Arnold could see in the corner of his eye that Helga rolled her eyes, and even her whole head, at David's words. When he repeated them though, she walked past Arnold, flashing him a glare as she did so and then jumped off the stage. She went straight towards the corner of the wall and stopped. For a moment, everyone thought that she was in fact going to stand there to calm herself down, but then, out of the blue, jumped onto her hands and then let her legs rest almost casually against the wall. Everyone, except David, looked shocked as Helga closed her eyes and breathed slowly in this upside-down position.

"What is she doing?" one of the female actors asked David and Arnold approached them to hear the answer. "Taking a time-out." He answered nonchalantly. "Well, yeah, but… why in that position?" another actor asked, one of the male ones. If Arnold had understood Helga correctly, which he hoped he had, it was only he and David, who were important male characters. The rest of the actors, also the girls for that matter, where mostly there to either dance, throw in a few lines here and there or be extras. "It calms her down to do something physical, but when she tried with an actual punching bag, she… broke it." He told them and they all gasped in shock. "She was _really_ angry that day."

"What happened?" Arnold asked curiously. David shot him a look, a look Arnold couldn't really decipher whether it was annoyed or resignedly. "You should know…" he seemed to mutter under his breath, but Arnold couldn't hear him. "Not telling. That's Helga's business. You can ask her if you're curious." He told him, still with that odd look on his face and Arnold wasn't sure what to make of it. If he had been a little less dense, he would probably have wondered if Helga had been angry because of him back then. "Uh… shall we continue?" the dance captain suggested in slight confusion and they all started to get back to their places. "In fact, Arnold and David, I was thinking that you two would take _Red light district_ together privately while I instruct the extras for other scenes and the dancers go through the choreography for _Flesh_." The director interfered and then looked towards Helga. "Helga, once you are ready you can join the girls for _Flesh_."

Helga kept her eyes closed, but she managed to stay on one arm so that she could give him a thumbs-up, showing him that she had heard him. The thumbs-up had been a thumbs-down in her position, but she quickly turned her wrist so it was pointed in the right direction. Arnold was stunned at her strength, but he was more concerned with practicing alone with this David guy, whom he still didn't really know what he thought of. All he really knew about him was that he was an actor, had been for as long as Helga had and was… _something_ to her, but he actually didn't know what. Now that he thought about, he really didn't know what they were at all. He supposed they were friends… He'd like to think that they were friends at least.

"Yes, sir." David responded and turned to smile at Arnold as he walked towards the edge of the stage. "Did Helga go through that song with you?" he asked as Arnold followed him off the stage, thereby getting closer to Helga. "Uh, yeah, she went through most of the manuscript with me, but we skipped the parts I weren't in because we didn't have a lot of time." He answered and felt his eyes turn towards Helga who still had her eyes closed. _Her arms aren't even shaking…_ He observed with an impressed smile. "So you know _Red light district_?" David asked, forcing Arnold out of his reverie. "Uh, sorta. Helga hummed the melody and I attempted to sing it, but she seemed dissatisfied with the result." He muttered and heard Helga snort. When he turned to look at her, she was smirking, but her eyes were still closed. He frowned at her as he followed David out of the room.

"So you know the lyrics?"

"Barely."

"Do you have your script?"

"I… left it with my bag." Arnold admitted with embarrassment painted on his face. David snickered kindly. "Could you go get it?" he asked and Arnold instantly bolted straight into the auditorium again. He could see the girls dancing on the stage, but he was more focused on not being in the way as he snuck to the backstage and grabbed his script. He managed to sneak past them again, without disturbing them too much and went towards the door again. "Forgot your script?" he could hear Helga's voice say and when he looked at her, she had her eyes open and she was smirking. He frowned as he waved the script in his hand. "Nice observation." He muttered before walking out of the room again, hearing her snicker behind him.

"I can see on your face that Helga said something?" David asked, but it sounded more like a statement. Arnold sighed and flipped through the pages. "She… hates me." He muttered and the words stung more than he thought they would. "Naw, I don't think so… Not really at least." David muttered and flipped through his own manuscript. "You don't think so?" Arnold asked curiously and saw that David was smiling. "I just think Helga… remembers who she used to be when she's around you and… old habits die hard when they are staring you right in the face." He explained and looked at Arnold with that same look like before: something akin to annoyance and something akin to relinquishment and yet there was something else. They looked at each other for a moment before David made a gesture that indicated that he wanted to sing now. "I'll try singing the song by myself first and then we'll take it together. Make sure to read the lyrics so you can learn them."

Arnold did as told, but he still had this nagging feeling in his chest that David knew more about his and Helga's story than he led on. _I've technically known Helga for seventeen years… but if you think about it, I've actually only known her for ten since I haven't seen her for the last seven years…_ Arnold thought and looked at David for the first time since he had started singing. His eyes widened at the expression and posture David had. He wasn't just singing, he was completely in character. "You look evil…" Arnold muttered in surprise. David looked at him for a second, but never stopped singing or even show that he cared. "You're supposed to. Sorry." Arnold continued and David stopped singing. "Arnold, you need to take this seriously." He said with a bit of a laugh. "Helga said the same thing…" Arnold sighed and looked at the script again. "Do I seem that… unprofessional, so to speak?"

"Well, that's a given. You're not a professional." David stated and Arnold exhaled. "Ouch." He said with a laugh before David sat down next to him on the floor. "Well, I know that, but I've always taken the things I do seriously. It's true that I tend to daydream a lot, but… I also don't really know much about this world the play takes place in." he said as he saw the words _she'll give it up if you wanna pay up_ in the lyrics. "Well, that's also a bit of a problem. Aiden is kind of that character that doesn't know that world either, but he's thrown into it when he falls in love with Adrasteia so he gets to know it. When Helga and I got our roles, we had a movie marathon with almost every single movie we could find that had the same theme." David told him and Arnold looked at him in surprise. "How long did that take?" he asked. "So long that she spent the night at my place." He said with a laugh, but Arnold didn't feel like laughing. "Spent the night?" he repeated with his eyebrows twitching. "Yeah." David said with a grin. "There's so many movies with that theme, you won't believe it."

"So you just… watched movies?"

"Among other things…" David muttered with a knowing smile and Arnold's eyes widened. "I'm just screwing with you!" David said and nudged his elbow on Arnold's arm. Arnold sighed in relief, but the sound came out as more of a laugh. _Why am I so relieved?_ He wondered for a moment, but David then turned to face him as he sat with his legs Indian style. "Want to go through the song now?" he asked. Arnold copied David's action, facing him and sitting Indian style and nodded. "Yeah… the blue ones are mine, right?" he asked to make sure. David quickly leaned over so that he could see the blue marker beneath the black letters. "Yes, the blue are yours." He confirmed and arched his back. He gave Arnold a look when he kept sitting hunched over. "Arch your back; actors can't afford bad posture." He told him and Arnold did so only to then give David a questioning look. "Yeah, yeah. It sounded gay, but it's the truth." David said with a smirk. "That's not what…" Arnold started, but then just laughed and looked at the lyrics again.

"_Nine inch heels come marching in to please a black-tied dirty old man. Staring, sweating, barely caring. Slurring: break me in…_" Arnold started in a slow voice and David quirked an eyebrow at him. "That was wrong, wasn't it?" Arnold asked upon seeing the look David gave him. "Not _wrong_…" he corrected. "But not right either." He added with a smile and Arnold sighed. "Look, you gotta think like Aiden. He's scared. He has fallen in love with a girl he doesn't even know the name of and he's followed her to the red light district of all places. He's afraid of who she is and what she's doing there. Try putting that emotion into your voice." He told him. "Don't you have some female friend you can think of? Someone you'd be really shocked to see walking into the red light district?"

Arnold thought about it for a second and then frowned deeply. "Phoebe." he stated and David laughed loudly. "Yeah, that would be the day when that girl would be in a place like that." he said. "You know her?" Arnold asked in surprise, but David waved his hand. "Not really, but Helga has told me about her." he answered and pointed at the script. "Try again. Imagine following Phoebe to the red light district." He told him and Arnold was about to sing, but then frowned. "It's not the same thing though… I'd be more disturbed on Gerald's behalf than my own if I saw Phoebe at the red light district." He pointed out. "Gerald's the boyfriend, right?" David asked and Arnold nodded. "Well… then how about one of your ex-girlfriends? Or current?" David suggested. "Uh, I'm single." Arnold muttered to the invisible questioned and then thought about his former girlfriends, noticing that David wasn't telling him whether he was single or not. "Uh… it's hard to feel shocked when I can actually imagine some of them going there."

"What kind of chicks did you date?"

"Bad ones, but I never notice until it's too late." Arnold admitted. "Just like Helga said?" David questioned and Arnold nodded. "Yeah… I tend to fall for girls that just use me." He said and wondered what that made Helga. "Sorry to hear that." David said and patted Arnold's shoulder for a moment. _Ok, I definitely don't know what to think of David, but he seems like a nice guy._ Arnold thought and smiled at him before looking at the script again. "But I guess… Lila would be pretty shocking." He muttered. "Lila?" David repeated with big eyes. "Yeah… we dated for about a year when I was sixteen years old." Arnold explained and looked curiously at David who showed him that unreadable expression again. "What happened?" he asked curiously and Arnold shrugged, deciding to give up on figuring out what that expression meant. "We grew apart, I guess. We were too alike and we got bored."

"… Did you know her for a long time?"

"Yeah, actually I've known her since we were nine. How… How did you know that?"

"I didn't _know_. If I had, I wouldn't have asked." David retorted, but something in his face told Arnold that he was lying or at least hiding something. "But she could work as enough shock?" he asked and Arnold nodded. _He definitely knows something… Has Helga told him about her old classmates, Lila included? Well, she did hate Lila a lot so maybe she has…_ He thought and looked at the lyrics again. He imagined Lila going to the red light district, frowned and then sang the same part again. Once he was done, David smiled. "Better, but put more sadness into it." He told him and Arnold tried again. "Much better!" David declared and patted Arnold's back. Arnold forced a smile. He still couldn't help but wonder what their former conversation had meant. David definitely knew _something_… but what?

* * *

Arnold and David sang together and David smiled at him. "Way to go. That was _really_ good." He said before standing up from the floor. "Really?" Arnold asked with a proud voice and looked at David's hand when he offered it. "Totally." David answered as Arnold took his hand and let him help him standing up. "I gotta ask though… The songs and the lines don't always seem like… uh…" Arnold said and wondered how he should phrase his question. "Like if they are from the same age?" David asked with a laugh and Arnold nodded. "Yeah, this is one of those plays that kinda ignores what is appropriate for the year it takes place in." David explained before opening the door into the auditorium. "I bet some of the outfits we are gonna wear are also going to ignore that."

Arnold nodded in understanding before walking inside and it wasn't until then he noticed the music. David stopped to look at the stage. "Oh, they are rehearsing _Flesh_." He observed and started to walk. It took Arnold a couple of seconds before he started to walk as well. He noticed that Helga was gone from her corner, which meant she must be on the stage. He looked around and when he finally saw her blonde hair, he stopped to sit down in the front row. The music was somewhat slow and sensual, but Helga's voice over the speakers had a mechanic ring to it, making the song sound a little rougher. "_Tie me up and take me over till you're done. Till I'm done. You've got me fiending and I'm ready to blow._"

The beat of a drum ricocheted about three times and the song got louder. One of the male dancers appeared behind each girl. That included Helga. The man behind Helga was muscular, wearing a pair of black slackers and a white undershirt. He had dark skin, even darker than Gerald's skin was and a bit of black hair on his head and dark stubbles on his chin. "His name is Damon." David whispered near Arnold's ear and he turned to look at him even though his eyes were still on the stage. "He's the guy who is Helga's dance partner through most of the play, right?" he asked and frowned at the way Damon was letting his hand slide up Helga's stomach. "Yeah, a lot of Adrasteia's scenes are of her performing at that club my character owns." David explained. "The other girls work for him too, but Adrasteia is kinda the star around there aka the most bought girl."

_Most bought…_ Arnold thought and shivered at the meaning behind those words. This was a world he really didn't want to dig more into than necessary. "_Push up to my body. Sink your teeth into my…_" Helga sang and Damon let his mouth touch her pulse point. "_Flesh_." She ended with a rather amorous voice before turning her back to the audience, letting Damon swing her around by her hands. "_Get undressed. Ta-Taste the flesh._" She kept singing as the sensual dance continued. Arnold found himself on the edge of two very different feelings: aroused or annoyed. When Helga leaned back, her leg around Damon's waist to hold her up as she showed her chest and face to the audience, the arousal won. Arnold leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees to hide his waist just in case. He hadn't felt it yet, but he had a bad feeling about this situation.

"I don't blame you." David whispered, causing Arnold to flinch. "I-Is it that obvious?" he asked with an awkward laugh. "To another boy it is." David answered and copied Arnold's position. "Oh…" he muttered and snickered again. "And well Helga is…" David continued and waved at Helga who now had her hands on the floor, her legs wrapped securely around Damon. "Enough said…" he muttered, figuring that he didn't really need to describe her. Arnold had eyes in his head after all. _Yeah…_ He thought and looked at her again. _She is._

Before Arnold knew it, the song ended and so did the dancing. He sighed a bit in relief and heard David do something similar to that. They smiled knowingly at each other and then stood up from their seats. "Is it just me or did the mic sound weird?" Helga asked as she tapped on the mic, which caused a bit of a screeching noise. "Sorry!" she said immediately as people flinched. "Yes, I did notice it sounded somewhat off." David said as he walked up the stage. "Really? I thought it was supposed to sound like that." Arnold stated and Helga scowled at him. "That's a very pathetic attempt at insulting me, Arnold." She told him with a bit of spite in her voice and he looked at her in surprise. "N-No." he insisted and shook his head. "No, I wasn't trying to - - "

"Helga." A voice over the speakers boomed and they all looked towards the sound technician. "Would you try to sing as I readjust the sound? It's the mechanic effect that's off." He said and Helga nodded. "_Bite into me harder. Push your teeth into my flesh._" She sang with an unaffected expression, but Arnold couldn't help but blush at her words. She looked as if she either didn't understand her own words or had no shame. Knowing Helga, he figured it was the latter. "_Pass the test. Ta-Taste the flesh._" She continued and then her eyes widened for a moment. "That sounded more right." She said with a smile. "Continue to sing, Helga." The sound technician told her from his booth near the ceiling. "_Hold me up against the wall. Give it till I beg. Give me some more. Make me bleed. I like it raw. Like it raw-raw-raw._" She continued, closing her eyes in an attempt at focusing more on the sound of her voice, while Arnold took a step backwards. It felt way too weird to stand so close to her when she was talking… well, _singing_ like that.

"I think we've got it." The sound technician declared and Helga turned to look at the director who nodded in confirmation. "It's a roll, people." She said dramatically into the mic, causing some of the actors to laugh. "Did you two get to rehearse _Red light district_?" Helga asked as she turned her mic off. "Yeah, and I'd say we've done a pretty decent job." David answered with a salute towards both Helga and the director. "Then let's hear it with the music." Helga suggested and took her headset off. "N-Now?" Arnold asked, but held his hands out to take it anyway. "Yes, n-now, Football Head." Helga said with an artificial stutter. Arnold frowned before she suddenly put the headset on his head rather than putting it in his hands. "You turn the volume by doing this." she said, took his fingers in her hand and led it to his left ear. He froze at the feeling of her warm, slightly moist skin against his cold fingers. "You turn it off by pushing this in." she continued and pushed against his fingers to demonstrate. "And also to turn it on." She told him and for a moment, he could have sworn that he felt the tip of her fingers caress the space between his fingers as her hand slid away from his.

Arnold gazed at Helga's eyes for a moment as he tried to steady his breath. "Thanks…" he mumbled a little absentmindedly. She seemed to either consider his words or be distracted herself for a moment before simply nodding at him. "Don't break it. We don't have a lot of spares." She told him as she patted his shoulder and walked off the stage. He looked at her as she headed towards the seats. "I would like for the extras to take this opportunity to rehearse themselves." The director said and Arnold was pulled out of whatever world he had gotten himself lost in. The extras gathered around on the stage, all taking random places. Well, they looked random to Arnold. "You two can just begin." The director said and went to sit down.

"Uh, sir, I don't know how to move around in this scene yet." Arnold said and heedlessly followed David towards the end of the stage. He saw Helga shut her eyes tightly in obvious pain for his comment, but the director simply smiled. "I didn't expect you to, Arnold. I just need for you to sing and nothing else." He told him patiently and flipped through the manuscript in his hands. "What am I supposed to do then?" one of the female extras asked and the director looked at her. "Just pretend Arnold is there, Maria" He told her and Arnold looked at the girl in confusion. "I'm supposed to approach you in this scene." She explained to him with a kind smile and readjusted herself at her spot.

_Approach me?_ Arnold repeated in his mind. He really had a hard time remembering everything he had read in the script, but decided to ignore his curiosity for now. He looked towards Helga for a moment and noticed how casually she was sitting on the chair, her arms crossed and the sole of one of her feet on the soft fabric beneath her. He sighed a little before turning the mic on. "Uh… _Red light district._" He told the sound technician who gave him a thumbs-up. Arnold looked towards Helga and she seemed to find how awkwardly he had said that amusing. A light tone began that quickly made goose bumps appear on Arnold's skin. He began singing the first verse, feeling awkward as he did so. The words were so foreign on his lips, but he did his best to remember what David had told him. _"Imagine seeing someone you know walk into the red light district."_ He had imagined Lila at first, but then his mind seemed to set on Helga and he frowned at the thought. If Helga actually worked as something like that… before he knew, he had shut his eyes tight and was singing his heart out.

When it was David's turn, Arnold opened his eyes again and caught sight of Helga who was gawking at him. He looked at her for a moment in silence before she cocked her head to the side and nodded, telling him that he had been better than she had expected. He couldn't help but grin a little proudly at that and she snickered at his boyishly proud reaction. Arnold waited for his turn for a bit and then David looked at him as if to give him a sign. Arnold nodded and then joined in. "_Girls and boys in the Red light district. You can watch her spin round a pole just like a beauty queen. Boys and girls in the Red light district. Take you to her private room. She can make you dirty boys blush-blush-blush-blush. She'll make you dirty boys blush-blush-blush-blush._"

Unbeknownst to Arnold, the girls and boys behind him were dancing and acting out to the song. If he had turned around, his face would probably have started to flush bright red. Helga's eyes seemed to switch between looking at him, at David and at the extras. She was sitting next to the director and he leaned to whisper something in her ear. She bit at her lower lip and then nodded. Arnold looked at them curiously, as he continued to sing. "_She makes her way in to your pocket. With fake eyelashes that she flashes. Crawling to you on her bruised knees. Kind of makes me think that she'll give it up._"

"_Give it up, give it up. She'll give it up if you wanna pay up._" David's voice rang over Arnold's and Arnold looked back at Helga who was making a gesture with her hand. She held it near her chin and waved her fingers up and down near it. Arnold knew she was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't figure out what. She then rolled her eyes and moved her mouth slowly. "Arch… your… back." She told him and he instantly did so. She smiled at him and nodded before leaning back in the seat. _"Actors can't afford bad posture."_ He remembered and held back a sigh. _All those rules…_ He thought and noticed David looking at him as he continued to sing. Arnold joined in immediately and felt something different in his voice when he did so. _Is my voice… different?_ He wondered. His eyes caught sight of the director whispering at Helga again and she winked at Arnold. _Did she… help me?_ He wondered and smiled for a moment, but forced it away to get back into character.

The sound of a female voice echoed through the speakers and Arnold couldn't help but turn to look towards her. "_Hello. Hello, dear sir. I've got something for you._" she sang artificially sweetly. "Pretend the pole is Arnold, Maria." The director suggested and she took a couple of quick steps towards the nearest post. _Pretend it's me?_ Arnold thought and kept looking at her as she leaned her back against it and sliding down near the floor. "_Look in my hand. I've got a couple of pills._" She said and opened her hand as if she was actually holding pills in them. She then turned around quickly, standing up and facing the pole again. "_Pop them._" She sang seductively and pretended to offer the pills to the pole. _I'm supposed to be that close to her?_ Arnold wondered and felt a little uncomfortable with the thought. He knew he was supposed to be very close to Helga through the play, but that the other girls, the other prostitutes, were supposed to get this close too? The thought made him shiver.

"_I'll make you feel hot and your wife feel horrible. I'll make you wanna, make you wanna. I'll make you feel hot and I'll make you feel right. So I'll spread my legs and just let go._" Maria sang and did indeed lift a leg around the pole as if about to hook it around it, thereby hooking it around Arnold's waist he presumed. When David started singing again, he watched Maria as she twirled away as if the pole had just pushed her away. _So I'm supposed to push her away right there?_ He thought and couldn't help but feel the relief washing over him. "Arnold." the director said sternly and Arnold looked at him. Helga gave him an impatient look and tapped her finger on her mouth. _Oh, crap!_ Arnold thought and listened to David for a moment before joining in on the song again.

Once the song had ended, Arnold sighed loudly in relief. Hearing his own voice like that in the speakers had felt weird and he turned it off immediately. "Well, Arnold, you forgot to join in on the singing at the last part." The director pointed out as he stood from his seat. "Actually, sir, if I may?" Maria asked and took a step forward. "Yes?" the director inquired. "I actually thought it seemed fitting. Aiden is supposed to be disgusted with the prostitute who approached him so I imagined that David sang the first part of the chorus and then Aiden would join in in the middle just like now?" she suggested with a small smile.

The director seemed unsure of her suggestion. "I agree." Helga said as she stood up from her seat. They all turned to look at her, watching her approach the director and cross her arms. "Yes?" the director inquired and Helga nodded. "Aiden seems like the sort of character that would be shocked at the approach from a hooker. It makes sense that he wouldn't be able to make any coherent thoughts until he was fully gone from her." She explained and the director hummed thoughtfully. "Very well. You have both made excellent points. Arnold, after Maria has approached you, David will sing the first _Girls and boys_ part and you will join in at _Boys and girls_, understand?" he asked and Arnold nodded. "All right then. Take five." The director said before turning off his mic and start to walk towards the backstage.

"That was really good, Arnold!" one of the other girls said as all the extras approached him. "R-Really? I felt weird." He admitted shyly and then sat down on the stage. "It didn't sound weird at all! You really have the perfect Aiden going." Maria told him as she, along with the other extras, sat down as well. "That's because Aiden and Arnold resemble each other." Helga chimed in and sat in-between Arnold and David. Arnold looked at her in surprise. "Yeah?" he inquired though he wasn't sure if she had meant it in a bad way or a good way. "Yeah." She confirmed and smirked at him. "Both completely head over heels for a girl they can never have who does nothing but hurt them. They are also both shy and modest and constantly gets into trouble even though all they wanna do is the right thing."

Arnold had started frowning at Helga's first sentence. "Really? Arnold, who are you in love with?" Maria asked curiously and also a little worriedly. "No one. I'm single." He answered with a frown. "I was talking about in the past." Helga corrected and Maria turned to look at her and so did Arnold. _Does she know? She couldn't know… How would she know?_ He thought with a bit of panic on his face. "Every single girl you've ever had feelings for her has either used you or hurt you. Your taste in girls are horrible." Helga continued and Arnold scowled again. "Indeed." He confirmed and looked away. He didn't see that Helga was gazing oddly at him. "What happened with you and Lila anyway?"

Arnold turned to look at her in surprise. "How did you know that we started dating?" he asked and Helga shrugged. "Phoebe told me." She answered casually. Arnold noticed the odd look on David's face, the same look he had made when he had told Arnold about that broken punching bag. "Well, we… we grew bored of each other, I guess. We were too alike." He answered indifferently, but inside his head, he wondered about that expression on David's face. What did it mean? "Oh, yuck! Yeah, you were both kind, helpful and generous, but don't say you were too alike! You were annoying, but not just as _ever so_ annoying as her." she insisted and Arnold snickered at her flawless impersonation of Lila's sugary voice. "Yeah, she… still says _ever so_ a lot." He mentioned and Helga pretended to throw up. "Oh, gag me with a spoon." She said and the others laughed.

"Oh, right! Some of us talked about that we should have a welcome party for Arnold." Maria said happily out of seemingly nowhere. Helga looked at her in slight surprise. "A welcome party? When are we supposed to have time for that?" she asked. "On Saturday! The director has to attend a wedding in his family so he leaves early. We could have the party at my place." Maria suggested and bounced happily even though she was sitting on her knees. "Oh, come on. Now's our only chance. We are only gonna get busier from next week so we should do it while we can."

Arnold couldn't help but notice that Maria seemed to mostly be begging Helga more than anyone else. Was she somehow the boss of the group? Well, it would make sense if she were, he guessed. She was the protagonist and was a leader by nature too. Helga slowly started to smile and then looked at Arnold. "What do you say, Football Head? Up for a party with your fellow actors?" she asked with a grin. He couldn't help but smile as well and then he nodded. "Count me in!"

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**Author's 2nd note: **

**Songs:**

**Simon Curtis – "Flesh"**

**Porcelain and the tramps – "Red light district"**


	5. Take a wild guess

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter: **_**While Arnold had hoped that the former night had been his and Helga's way of deciding on truce, it seemed like Helga didn't agree. They started the day with a big fight, which resulted in Helga almost admitting that she used to have feelings for him. David stopped her in time though. After seeing Helga's odd way of calming herself down, Arnold had to wonder what had made Helga so angry at one time that she'd even break the punching bag like David had told him.**_

_**To Helga's surprise, Arnold managed to do rather well with his duet with David. Even though Arnold still didn't know how to move around on the stage, he at least knew the lyrics by then. Both blonde people had a bit of mixed feelings though when Maria invited all of the actors to a welcome party at her place in Arnold's honor.**_

**Author's 1st note: Still don't know what to say, but I have a small rant at the second author's note xD**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

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Chapter 5: "Take a wild guess"

Arnold couldn't believe he was late for his own welcome party. _This is embarrassing and so mean towards Maria! She went through all the trouble._ He thought as he finally reached the house. They had been practicing all day so his legs felt like they were made of that same stuff Flubber was made of. After the director had gone to attend to the wedding, they had all agreed to meet again as soon as they had finished dressing at their homes. While they hadn't put a time limit on, Arnold had a feeling that he had taken a little too long. It wasn't like he had done anything special to himself per say. He was wearing black pants, white dress shirt and a black vest and he had his hair combed back. He wasn't sure what had made him take so long. Maybe it was because he had secretly been wondering what Helga would wear and that slowed him down.

Arnold was in front of Maria's address now though and quickly rang the doorbell. About ten seconds later, Maria opened the door. His eyes widened at her outfit; it was green. As in harlequin green. It almost hurt his eyes, but he smiled and hugged her when she opened her arms for him. "Welcome, Arnold!" she told him in a happy voice and then closed the door behind him. "Thanks, Maria, and thank you for doing this. Am I really late?" he asked as he followed her through the hallway. "Oh, no, not at all. In fact we're still missing Helga and David." She told him and Arnold halted at that. "Both of them?"

"Yeah." Maria answered matter-of-factly as she grabbed two plastic cups from the table next to her and offered one of them to Arnold. It took him a couple of seconds before he got himself out of his trance and grab one of them. "Thanks." He said and lifted the cup towards his mouth absentmindedly. "Aren't you gonna ask what it is first?" she asked with a snicker and he stopped. "What did you do to it?" he asked with mock horror and she laughed. "No! I didn't do anything. I just figured you should know in case you don't like it." She told him and then pointed at the bottles on the table. "There's some different things so people can mix as they please, but the cup I gave you is with soda and strawberry vodka. I figured it was a safe choice."

"Oh, yeah. Thanks. Just make sure to tell Helga about that strawberry vodka too."

"Why? Does she hate strawberries?"

"I don't think she hates them as much as the hives they give her."

"Oh, God. Then I better remember to tell her that." Maria said with a laugh and then waved at the other guests. "Hey, guys. Arnold's here."

The actors turned to look at him and then smiled and lifted their cups. "To Arnold for saving our play!" Maria said and cheered with them. "I wouldn't say that I saved it…" Arnold muttered shyly, but clinked his cup against Marias when she gestured for it. "Are you kidding?" Damon asked as he approached them. "Don't tell the director that I told you, but we were kinda dying. I mean, I think the play might have gone down the toilet if you hadn't come." He told him and Arnold smiled a little. "Well, I'm glad Helga let me join." He said. "Yeah, me too. You're way better than I had hoped. I mean, when Helga started talking about you when we first met you, I got really nervous. Speaking of which, do you guys hate each other or something?" Maria asked with a small frown.

"Oh… something like that. We… didn't get along as children and I guess we're stuck in that… hate relationship." Arnold answered and noticed that he had almost called it a hate-_love_-relationship. _My brain must be getting fuzzy already._ He thought and sighed into his drink, causing it to bubble before he drank from it. "Sounds bad. I don't get why though. You seem like a nice guy, why would anyone hate you?" Maria asked curiously and looked up into the roof as if that was supposed to give her an answer. "I asked myself the same thing back then." Arnold muttered and snickered. "Did you ever get an answer?" Damon asked, but Arnold went quiet at that. _I guess I did at FTI… She hated that she liked me._ He thought and shook his head in answer to Damon's question. "No. I still don't know why."

Then the doorbell rang. "Oh! That must be either Helga or David." Maria said and put her cup down. "Or both of them." Damon pointed out as she ran out into the hallway. "Don't even say that!" Maria said in dismay. Arnold quirked an eyebrow at her reaction and turned to look at Damon who smiled. "Don't tell her I told you, but she has a little bit of a crush on David. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think this welcome party is kind of an excuse for her to hang out with David outside the auditorium." He told him and then put his finger to his mouth. Arnold nodded in understanding and smiled. "How is it going for her?" he asked as he took a gulp from his drink. "Not so good. David is around Helga most of the time so she has a hard time getting his attention." Damon answered. "Do… David and Helga hang out a lot?" Arnold asked and Damon nodded. "Yeah, they're like glued to the hips, man." He answered and drink from his cup. Arnold chewed at the soft flesh inside his mouth at that answer. "Are they dating?" he heard himself ask before he could stop himself. "I don't know." Damon answered with a shrug. "Maybe. I haven't gotten around to ask."

"Hi, Helga. Hi, David!" they could hear Maria's voice say out in the hallway. "Oh, they did come together. No surprise there." Damon said and shook his head as if he was talking about a lovesick couple. Arnold chugged down the rest of his drink before turning to look at the bottles. He didn't drink often, but all of a sudden he felt like drinking tonight. He grabbed the strawberry vodka and mixed it with soda as he heard Helga's voice behind him. "You're drinking, Football Head? Somehow that's a shock." He heard her say before she appeared in his peripheral vision. When he saw what she was wearing, the bottle almost slipped from his hand.

Helga was wearing what fashion-minded people knew was called a black skinny tube cut out mini dress. To Arnold though it simply looked like a black dress that went to the middle of her thighs while some of the fabric on her sides seemed torn. The long sleeves on her arms seemed as if she had torn those to pieces as well. It looked wild and raw… like her. His eyes fell on her hair, which was big with curls in it and as he had noticed a couple of days ago, the hair did indeed reach her hips. "Cat got your tongue, Football Head?" Helga asked and he saw her wave her hand in front of him. He shook his head and blinked until he got out of his daydream. She was smirking at him, almost as if she knew why he had been staring. Her blue eyes then traveled downwards and she pointed. He looked down and saw that he was currently pouring the soda onto the table and he gasped.

Arnold could hear Helga snicker while he went to grab some tissues and dry the table. "You're just as airheaded now as when you were a child." She said as she laughed without holding herself back. With a sigh, he grabbed the tissues and went out of the living room with them. He looked around for the kitchen for a moment and when he found it, he went inside to throw the tissues out. "Airhead." He heard Helga's voice say behind him and he flinched, but refused to turn around. He could hear the sound of her shoes approaching him and he felt his knuckles go white as he his fingers tightened around the kitchen desk. _Why am I so tense?_ He wondered before he saw her stopping next to him. She leaned forward to place her elbows on the desk and looked at him. "Shocked that I'm looking like this, huh?" she asked with a bit of a sour smile.

Arnold turned his head to look at Helga properly as she chose to look at her arms rather than him. "As a child I was so proud that I could ignore how people wanted me to dress or look… Seems like the older you get, the harder the temptation is to resist." She muttered and turned her back to the desk, leaning her elbows against it. "If you want to dress like that, why do you feel so bad about it?" he asked and leaned backwards so he could look at her again. She hesitated for a moment and then shrugged. "I guess I… I like that I don't care if people think I look good or not and yet I have started to like wearing stuff like this since I turned eighteen." She explained before hopping onto the kitchen desk. "It kinda confuses me. I mean, most girls dress like this for the sake of looking good, right? I hate that I may be put in the same category as them just because I don't wear sweatpants and hoodies all the time."

"Helga, what is so wrong with wanting to be feminine?" Arnold asked and Helga turned her head to look at him in surprise. Without thinking, he moved to stand in front of her, his hands on each side next to her thighs. "This may be just me, and since I'm a boy it may sound weird, but… it seems to me like half of the female population either tells you to be feminine, be a stereotype, be what people thinks makes a woman… while the other part tells you: don't you dare! Be strong, be masculine or else you are just bowing down to all men! It seems to me that no matter what you do, what you wear or how you act, it's wrong one way or another. So I'd say… do what you want because there'll always be people who'll tell you it's wrong either way so… just let _you _be satisfied with yourself at least."

Helga's eyes had been wide for a long moment while Arnold had been speaking. When he looked at her and smiled that sweet, sweet smile though, her eyes went half-lidded. _Oh, God, I… I think I just remembered why I was in love with him._ She thought and closed her eyes as she felt something soft on her lips. As she leaned in, the pressure on her mouth grew and she felt a pair of tentative hands touching her own. At that, she gasped and leaned back. Her eyes were wide and so were Arnold's. _What… What did I just do?_ She wondered and then hopped off the kitchen desk, pushed Arnold to the side and then walked out of the kitchen. He stood back, dumbfounded at what had just happened. _She kissed me… or did I kiss her? I… I don't know! We kissed!_ He thought and put his hand to his mouth. _No. Don't freak out. We've kissed during the play too. It's nothing new…_ He thought and yet he could feel something linger on his lips that told him otherwise.

As soon as Helga had come into the living room again, she grabbed the cup with rum and coke she had left before going to talk to Arnold and chugged down the whole thing. _What is wrong with me?! Basket case! Lunatic! Stupid girl! What is wrong with you?!_ She screamed inside her head and felt like banging it against the wall, but then a hand on her somewhat bare shoulder made her flinch and turn around. "Arnold, what just happened - - " she started until she saw that it was David who was in front of her. "Are you ok?" He asked worriedly and took the hand she had just been about to use to push him away when she thought he was Arnold. She let him hold her hand between them as she frowned. "Nothing… Arnold and I just…" she started, but then hesitated. _I can't tell him. That wouldn't be fair._ She thought and then faked a smile. "We just fought again."

David gave Helga a look that told her that he didn't believe her, but he smiled anyway, deciding to let her get away with it. "You two need to make truce. It'll affect the play eventually, especially since you're supposed to be in love." He told her and leaned a little down so that he was on her eye level. Her fake smiled turned real at his words and nodded. "I know it's true. I don't want it to be, but…" She muttered and then he shook her hand to make her look at him. "Hey, lighten up. We're at a party. Turn off your brain for tonight. You think too much." He told her and she gave him a slanted look. "I think too much? That's something I've never heard before." She muttered and he snickered. "Come on, Adrasteia, dance with your pimp." He said before pulling her towards the stereo. "You really love that pimp joke, don't you?" she asked disbelieving, but followed him out to the floor anyway.

Arnold walked into the living room right then and noticed Helga on the floor with David. _She kisses me and then goes and dances with another guy._ He thought sullenly and went to grab a plastic cup. _I don't know what she's thinking… I don't even know what I'm thinking._ He continued, sighed and poured some more of that sugary vodka in his cup. _No more tonight. I just wanna have fun._ He thought and gulped the cup down. It was Maria's voice that caught his attention again. "Hey, wanna play Truth or dare?" she asked happily and waved an empty bottle in her hand. "Truth or dare? Aren't we getting too old for that?" one of the boys asked and Maria gasped in horror. "You never get too old for that! It's fun. Besides, it's a great way to get to know each other."

They had to agree on that. Besides, what was a teenage party without some embarrassment? _She's probably hoping to get dared to kiss David._ Arnold thought with a snicker. They all huddled around in a circle. Maria managed to sit down next to David who had Helga on his other side. Without thinking about it, Arnold had sat down next to her as well with Damon on his other side. They were all sitting close together and Arnold could smell a hint of vanilla. He could be wrong, but he thought it might be from Helga. It could be from Damon, but he doubted it. Maria put the bottle in the middle of the circle of people and then spun it. It took a couple of rounds before falling on Helga. She groaned. "I've always been so unlucky in this game!" she said dramatically and then frowned thoughtfully. "Dare."

"Ok." Maria said and hummed thoughtfully. "We'll start out easy. Sing one of the songs from one the plays you have been in." she started and Helga gave her a disbelieving look. "That's a little too easy." She told her. "I'm not done!" Maria insisted. "It's gotta be a song that you _hated_." She added with a mischievous smirk and Helga hummed. David snickering interrupted the silence and then he turned his mouth towards Helga's ear to whisper in it. Arnold frowned at that until Helga gasped. "No! I had conveniently forgotten that one! Screw you!" she told him and hid her face in her hands. "If that's your reaction to it then you gotta do that one!" Maria told her and they all seemed eager to hear what song David had suggested her. She sighed as she showed her face again. "_Fine_, but remember that I didn't write this song nor do I agree with it." She told them and they all nodded before she sighed again.

"_We love romance and candle light. You like a cold bear, we like a fine wine. You hardly talk, we can talk all night. You wanna fix it, we just wanna cry. It's a girl thing._" Helga sang in a country melody. "Oh, I remember that song! It's from _Girls and boys_, right?" one of the girls asked and Helga nodded. "I didn't know you were in that." she continued questioningly. "I was one of the minor characters. I was basically just a background singer, but boy, do I regret that song." She told them. "Why do you hate it?" Damon asked and she quirked an eyebrow at him. "It's a _country_ song and to makes matters worse, I don't agree with the lyrics. I'd prefer a beer at any time and I don't randomly cry throughout the whole fucking night."

"Good point." Damon admitted as Helga leaned forward to spin the bottle. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head when she saw it pointing at Arnold. "Uh. Truth, I guess." Arnold answered, but as soon as he did, one of the girls wailed mockingly. "Oh, that's not fair!" she said. "You already know so much about him! I wanna ask him something!" she insisted and Helga lifted her hands in surrender. "Be my guest. I wouldn't know what to ask either." She answered and turned her face close to his. "Since I already know everything." She said as she wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. "You do not know _everything_." Arnold insisted, ignoring how quickly his heart was beating at their proximity. She leaned back and shrugged innocently. "Let's see, shall we?" she asked as she waited for the girl to ask her question. "Tell us about your first kiss!" she begged and some people groaned. "What an innocent question!"

"Let's start out slowly." Maria insisted again and waited for Arnold to answer. He hesitated for a moment. _My first kiss…?_ He thought and wondered for a moment before he felt Helga's eyes on him. "You gotta be kidding…" he heard her mutter in a low voice only he could hear and he flinched at her somewhat harsh tone. "When does it count as a first kiss?" he asked the girl. "When a girl, who is not your family member, kisses you on the mouth." She explained and he looked at Helga. "Then Helga must have been my first kiss…" he mumbled a little shyly and they all turned to look at Helga, who was holding her hand casually over her mouth and cheeks in order to hide her blush.

"No way! How?" Maria asked excitedly. "At a school play in fourth grade." Arnold answered. "Oh, then that doesn't count!" the girl who had asked the question whined. "It's gotta be a real kiss! Not one that is staged." She said with a frown and then Arnold thought again. _Well… it's still Helga then._ He thought and felt his eyes travel towards her and she groaned though she didn't see him. "I'm still his first kiss." She said and then looked at him. "Or is there something I don't know?" she asked and he instantly shook his head. _Huh. So I really was his first kiss… Well, doi, we were nine years old, but… still._ She thought and had to struggle in order not to smile.

"How old were you?" Damon asked and Arnold went shy at that. "Still in fourth grade." He replied and Damon's eyes went wide. "Man, you got more action in fourth grade than I got in ninth!" he said and patted Arnold's back proudly. Helga rolled her eyes at that, took the bottle and offered it to him. "Spin it, Football Head." She ordered and he did so. The game turned out to be quite fun. It seemed that once you reached a certain age, the questions would stay personal and the dares funny, but no one seemed particularly cruel or out for blood like how Truth and dare would usually go when you were around sixteen.

When the bottle landed on Helga, it was Damon's turn to ask her. He still had a bit of red lipstick on his mouth after one of the girls had been dared to kiss him and he still seemed to be grinning. "Truth." She said and took her cup to her mouth to drink. "Ok, Helga, tell us about your first time." He said and Helga spit out her drink instantly. She coughed awkwardly and David started to pat her back, but it seemed like that just made her feel more awkward. "F-First time doing what?" she asked dumbly and they all gave her a slanted look. All except Arnold who was horrified of what the answer would be like. "You know what he means, Helga. Now spit it out." One of the girls begged and Helga groaned. "Your question isn't specific enough. What do you wanna know?" Helga asked, obviously trying to stall. "Who was he? Had you been dating for a long time? Or was it a one-night stand?" they all asked in over each other. "That's a lot of questions. You can ask _one_ of them." Helga insisted, praying that a particular question wouldn't be asked. "Fine." Damon said. "Who was he?"

_Fuck. _Helga thought as she felt her breath hitch in her throat. She could feel her grip around the cup start to tighten and the sound from the cup being squashed filled the silent room. "Helga, if you're that uncomfortable with it…" Damon started worriedly, but before he could finish his sentence, she had moved her free hand to point at David. They all looked at him in confusion and he coughed awkwardly, while Arnold felt like his world had just darkened a bit. "No way!" they all exclaimed in surprise, some slightly mortified and others excitedly. "How the hell did that happen?" they all asked in unison, almost as if they had rehearsed it. "That was _one_ question. No more!" Helga said and gripped her cup again, making sure that her eyes didn't go anywhere near Arnold. "Oh, but, Helga!" some of the girls whined and she growled. "_Enough_."

David then, without hesitation, spun the bottle on Helga's behalf. It landed at one of the other boys and David questioned him. It took a few seconds before they all gave up on getting more information out of Helga and they continued the game. "Excuse me." Arnold mumbled and then stood up from the circle. Helga turned her head to watch him walk out of the room and into the bathroom. She turned her head back, pulled her knees up to her chest and put her chin on them. Unbeknownst to her, David was looking at her when she did that.

_I can't breathe._ Arnold thought as he locked the bathroom door and looked at himself in the mirror. He turned on the water and started splashing it on his face, trying to calm himself down. _When did that happen? Did they date? Are they dating? No. Wait. It was her first time. It could have been like… 5-4 years ago. It could have been nothing special…_ He thought, but then shook his head. "No… the first time is never not special in one way or another and they are still friends or… whatever they are." He mumbled and put his forehead on the cold sink. _Calm down… Why do I even care?_ He wondered and then snickered maliciously at his thoughts. _Of course I care… Who am I kidding?_ He wondered before sliding down to the floor. _I never got over her…_

* * *

It took Arnold about ten minutes before he managed to get himself out of the bathroom, looking somewhat decent and not like he had just cried. _I'm twenty years old. Why am I crying over a girl I never even dated?_ He thought with a sniff and walked into the living room. The game was apparently over because the floor was once again used for dancing and not spinning the bottle. _My chest hurts… I kinda just wanna go home, but I shouldn't._ He thought and then felt something small bump against his chest. When he looked down, he saw a white hand holding a red plastic cup with some liquid in it. He took it as he looked to the side only to see Helga looking forward rather than at him. They stood there in silence for a moment.

"It hurt, you know." Helga said and Arnold looked at her again. She didn't look at him, but she could feel that he was asking her what she meant. "When Phoebe told me you had started dating Lila." She clarified and readjusted herself against the wall, showing obvious discomfort with the subject. "Of all girls, Arnold, why that one?" she asked and looked at him. She didn't seem to be expecting an answer and he didn't know how to respond either. She looked at nothing in particular again before sipping her cup. "It's weird. I mean… I was in love with you as a child, but even as a sixteen year old I felt somehow possessive of you."

Arnold felt his heart leap at Helga's words. _She was in love with me! I knew it! Well, she told me, but she pretended nothing happened afterwards, but… she's being so honest. Does she feel like… she owes me an explanation?_ He wanted to ask her, but he didn't want to risk that this sudden honesty streak from her would fade so he kept quiet. "David and I…" she started and then went quiet again for a moment. "We started dating the same day I heard you and Lila got together… I had been trying to take my frustration out on a punching bag and David was training next to me when the punching bag fell to the floor."

"You… You broke the punching bag?" Arnold asked as he remembered David's story about how Helga had done exactly that. She snickered in embarrassment and nodded. "Yeah… he asked me what was wrong, I remembered it all over again and next thing I know, the chain breaks due to my punch and the bag is on the floor." She tells him and he can't help but snicker. "Somehow… I can easily imagine that." he said, but the snicker quickly died again. "Then… what happened? Did he… comfort you?"

"Something like that, but… he simply told me that he had feelings for me so that he knew how I felt… That he knew how it hurt, so to speak… and then I just cried even more." Helga admitted as she chewed on her bottom lip. Arnold would have found the sight cute, perhaps even enticing if she didn't look so hurt while doing it. _She cried… because of me?_ He thought and looked at the floor with an aching feeling surrounding him. "I'm sorry…" he whispered almost inaudibly, but she heard him. "I told David that I wanted to try to fall in love with him." She said, ignoring his words. Arnold looked up at her again, his eyes a little big as he waited for her to continue. "It didn't work." She told him as she turned her head and smiled. He couldn't help the smile that fell upon his face and she punched his shoulder. "How mean of you; finding pleasure in other people's pain."

"Sorry." Arnold said, but couldn't help but add: "Look who's talking though." Helga rolled her eyes and looked at the dancing people in front of them again. "For a long time though I thought I was in love with him." She continued and he looked at her again. "I _wanted_ to be in love with him. Heaven knows I tried." She said with a pained smile as she shut her eyes and moved her head up towards the ceiling. "I hated that I couldn't… I hated that I had to hurt a guy who had… done nothing but be kind to me. The same way I hated when… when I hurt you when we were children. Though not in the same way of course."

_Of course…_ Arnold repeated in his mind. "How long were you together?" he heard himself asking and instantly wondered why he wanted to know. Helga seemed thoughtful for a moment or perhaps hesitating. "Three… Three years." She told him and his jaw fell metaphorically to the floor. "_Three years_?!" he repeated in an incredulous hiss. "Perhaps a little more actually. I… don't actually remember the date of when we got together or when we broke up…" she told him and looked away. "Wait. Three years, and you started when you were sixteen. That means… it was recently. How recent?" he asked and she showed her face to him again as she smiled sorely. "At the day we found out we were both going to act in this play."

Arnold's eyes widened. _That's… such a short time ago._ He thought and sighed a bit. "That's on the day you two had a movie marathon, right?" he asked and she looked at him questioningly. "How did you know that?" she asked. "David told me… and he joked about you two doing _other_ things too." He said and Helga snickered at that. "Yeah, he's a jokester." She said and coughed awkwardly. _That was probably the last time they…_ Arnold started, but then threw the thought away, knowing that it would start to hurt if he let it linger. "I think that David hides behind his jokes." She said thoughtfully. "The same way I hide behind my - - "

"Fists? Ow!" Arnold exclaimed when Helga punched his shoulder. "What are you hiding?" he asked jokingly as he rubbed his slightly sore arm. She stuck her tongue out at him, but then smiled. "We decided not to kid ourselves anymore… I guess it was the same for you and Lila?" she asked and he shook his head. "Well, you were both in love unlike David and I…" Helga muttered, but he shook his head again. "I was never _in love_ with Lila. I just liked her." He admitted and she quirked an eyebrow at that. "Speaking of which; I thought you gave up on that bitch?"

"She's not a bitch."

"She's a bitch in disguise. I still think that no girl can really be _that_ sweet."

"You've always hated her."

"Take a wild guess why." Helga said and then pointed at Arnold. "Because of… me?" he asked and felt his heart leap again. "_Doi_." She said and crossed her arms. "It was hard enough to watch you moan over both Ruth and Summer, but _Lila_. She was the worst." She said with a scowl on her face. "Why?" he asked, but then wondered how she knew that he used to like Ruth. _Was it that obvious?_ He speculated, but then Helga was talking again. "You liked Lila _after_ getting to know her, opposite Ruth and Summer whom you just liked because they were pretty. You liked Lila for a long-ass time, at least for a fourth grader, and… and she was my complete opposite."

Arnold went quiet at that. It was true, now that he thought about it. While he had fallen for girls who sometimes didn't treat him as nicely as others did, then Helga was definitely in a category of her own in regards of the girls he had ever had feelings for. Why had he even fallen for her? She wasn't his usual type… Her sigh pulled him out of his reverie and he saw her sliding down the wall and eventually sitting on the floor. "Look at me; light of the party." She said and grinned. He snickered at her words and then she looked up at him, smiling roguishly. "You know… the acting world has a dark side."

Arnold blinked in surprise. Helga was changing the subject so suddenly. He wanted to ask her more. He wanted to know if she still had feelings for him, how strong her feelings had been or were now, but he let it go. He let her have her peace for now. He'd have plenty of time to find out about all those things later anyway. So instead, he questioned her words as he slid down next to her. "Yeah… one of the girls in this room is not here because of her dancing skills." She whispered secretly and bit her lower lip like a naughty child. Arnold's eyebrows lifted at that. "As in…?" he questioned and she nodded. "She slept with the director." She clarified and he made a sound that was a mix of a gasp and a laugh. "Who?" he asked excitedly, but it wasn't the gossip that made him interested. It was the way Helga leaned closer to him when she talked.

"Guess, Arnold. Who in this room looks like a two dollar whore?" Helga asked with a grin and while her words had been rotten and maybe unfair, he couldn't help but feel intrigued. He looked around in the room, eyeing the girls. When his eyes fell upon a girl with bleached blonde hair, rather large breasts and a dress shorter than what he could imagine her vocabulary was, he looked back at Helga questioningly. "Ding-ding-ding." She said and then giggled like a wicked child. The sound was so sweet that he couldn't help but chuckle as well as his forehead touched hers. It wasn't her giggle or her smile that kept his heart leaping at that moment though; it was the fact that she didn't pull away.

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Ok, I just want to explain a scene in this chapter. The conversation before Arnold and Helga's kiss: it's actually something that has caught my attention lately. Like Arnold says, some people tells girls to be feminine, to be beautiful and girly at all times, while others tell them to be strong, independent and not give a damn what people think about them. It's almost as if there really is no middle ground. Girls don't seem to be allowed to be weak anymore because then they aren't independent and it kinda bugs me. Why can't a person, be they male or female, be allowed to be weak sometimes and strong other times? Why must it be one way or another? I'm gonna rant for too long, but it's just something that's caught my attention lately and I wouldn't mind hearing your opinion. Have you noticed it too? How it seems like girls are supposed to be fragile and yet strong depending on who you ask?**

**Song:**

**Jesse Lee – "It's a girl thing"**


	6. Being the mouse

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** At the welcome party, quite a few truths were revealed. The other actors got to find out that Arnold and Helga had shared their first kiss together when they were in fourth grade, while Arnold felt like vomiting when he found out that Helga and David had been dating for three years and had only broken up recently. To his surprise though, he and Helga had a heart-to-heart after that where she full-blown admitted that she'd had feelings for him when they were children and had even been hurt when he had started dating Lila at the age of sixteen. None of them really know what this means for the both of them; they just knew that they understood each other a little more now.**_

**Author's 1st note: SymboitShadow (btw read this person's reviews, they're hilarious xD) mentioned whether David would be able to be just as good an OC as Aaron in my "Blackmail toy" story was. First of all: thank you for liking Aaron that much! :D Secondly, I have to say that's probably going to be a big no. While David is definitely an important part of this story then Aaron in "Blackmail toy" was important on a whole other level. Therefore I am also not going to explore David's personality that much. The main focus here is Helga and Arnold while in "Blackmail toy", Aaron was the third most important character. He kept the story going x3**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 6: "Being the mouse"

Arnold had walked home that Saturday evening with mixed emotions. On one hand, Helga had _kissed_ him this evening. On the other hand, he had just discovered that Helga had been dating and having sex with David for more than three years. On the third hand… well, he didn't have three hands, but still. She had been so honest about her feelings for him afterwards and they had ended up having fun. He didn't know what to think or feel right then; he was just so emotionally exhausted. Helga had felt basically the same way as she had gazed out of her window, still dressed for the party. _I know that I was just betraying myself while I was dating David, but I didn't think I'd feel so guilty when Arnold found out… It's not like I owe him anything, but I betrayed myself. I'm so sorry, David, but… it seems like Arnold will always be the one…_ She thought and then let her forehead touch her knees._ Well, shit._ She had then gone to bed, struggling to fall asleep, unknowing that Arnold had just as much trouble falling asleep as she'd had.

On the next day, it was time to go to the auditorium once more, but both Arnold and Helga were so tired that they were both late. It wasn't until they bumped into each other, thereby falling backwards and on the sidewalk, that there thoughts had left the former night. "Ow! Look where you're going, you… Arnold?" Helga asked in surprise when she saw him rub his head in front of her. "Huh?" he muttered and then opened his eyes. "Oh, good morning, Helga…" he answered, but stayed still after that. _I… I don't know what to say to her._ He thought as he finally got on his knees and stood up. She looked at him expectantly and he did indeed offer her his hand. She considered ignoring it at first, but then her heart won against her brain and she took his hand. He hoisted her up gently, her chest close to his once she was standing up, but none of them moved away at first.

Helga then shook her head to get out of the trance-state she had been in and stepped backwards. "Let's get inside." She said in a quiet voice before opening the door and then holding it for him. _She's holding the door for me._ He observed in surprise and quickly walked inside before she either changed her mind or decided to turn the tables and bang the door into his head instead. She simply closed the door softly behind him though and walked beside him towards the auditorium. "You look tired." He observed before he could stop himself. "So do you." she pointed out with a slightly insulted frown, but it quickly turned into a yawn instead. "I didn't get much sleep. Too much happened yesterday." She said as she covered her yawn with her hand. "I guess the same thing kept me up." Arnold muttered before yawning as well.

"I can't believe everyone knows about David and me now… Yay." Helga mumbled and rubbed her eye tiredly. "By the way. I… didn't get to ask last night, but the reason why you two broke up… was it only for the sake of the play?" Arnold asked while he opened the door into the auditorium. "Huh? No, the play was just a convenient excuse. I told you; I wasn't in love with him." She answered before walking inside, turning her back to Arnold's smile. _I shouldn't feel happy about that. I feel bad for David…_ He thought and closed the door behind him. Speak of the Devil; David was currently standing on the stage with the headset on his head, talking into the mic as part of the sound check. "1, 2… 1, 2…" he said before waving at Helga and Arnold. "3 is next in case you're having trouble." Helga told him, causing Arnold to attempt holding back his snicker.

David rolled his eyes, but did add three to his little mantra. Helga gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up before walking onto the stage, Arnold right behind her. Halfway across the stage, Maria came out of the backstage. "Oh, Helga, good morning! Guess what?" she asked and bounced excitedly. "Maria, I love you, but I'm too tired for your high-pitched voice right now." She said, earning a scolding shoulder to her arm from Arnold. Maria didn't seem to mind though or maybe she didn't even notice in her excitement. "The costume designers just finished your dress for _Bad_!" Maria continued and that seemed to get Helga's attention. "Really? Already?" she asked in surprise before Maria took her hand. "Yeah, come on! You gotta try it on!" she said before pulling her away. Helga flashed Arnold a tired smile before she disappeared and he sighed in content before sitting down on the stage.

"Tired?" David asked once the mic had been adjusted correctly and then he took it off. "Yeah…" Arnold muttered before lying down fully on the stage. "Me too." David said before sitting down next to him. "I didn't get much sleep after all that." He explained and yawned for good measure. "Yeah, Helga, she, uh… told me about you two…" Arnold muttered without looking at him. "Yeah? I saw you two talking and I figured it might be about me…" David muttered and scratched his temple in discomfort. "If I may ask… what did she tell you?"

"I'm not sure if you want to know."

"I probably already know."

"Well then, she… she told me that she wanted to fall in love with you, but never really did…" Arnold admitted and looked at David for the first time, who was nodding. "Yeah, I knew that… I knew she didn't have feelings for me all along, but I kept dating her anyway rather than letting her go… I was pretty selfish." He said as he finally laid down, only for Arnold to sit up. "Helga thinks she's the selfish one." He told him and David frowned at that only to smile right after. "Typical Helga…" he muttered and sat up again. "Typical Helga _now_." Arnold corrected with a warm laugh and David snickered. "Was she that bad?" he asked and Arnold hummed thoughtfully. "Not… _bad_, but… not good either." He answered and the boys laughed for a moment.

"Oh, just be honest, Arnold-o. I was a nightmare coming true." Helga's voice suddenly said and Arnold kept his eyes away from her, afraid of what kind of look she was giving him. "Well, you definitely did your best." He said with a snicker before feeling a calloused hand on his shoulder. He followed it and saw David pointing forward. Arnold turned his head and was completely taken aback by what Helga was wearing. It was a long, very red dress. It went all the way to the floor, but it had a cut at her right thigh thereby showing off a decent amount of leg. She had what could be considered a vail from her waist and it fell down over the dress, making it look big and perfect for a windy shot. It was cut in a heart-shape above her chest with long sleeves off her shoulder. The sleeves were partially see-through with red embroidered flowers down her arms and even over the back of her hands in a triangular shape.

"Whoa…" Arnold muttered in surprise and Helga blushed at the way he was staring at her. "What am I; the last piece of chocolate?" she asked with an insulted huff and turned her head to hide how happy she was by his reaction. "It seemed like the dress fits." The director praised and smiled at Helga. The costume designer then appeared behind her. "And it seems like it receives the appropriate reaction from the boys." He added with a grin, which only grew bigger when he noticed the blush on Helga's face. He patted her back teasingly before disappearing backstage. "Helga, I would say this is perfect timing to take the _Bad_ scene and to rehearse it with the rotating stage." The director said and she nodded, while Arnold cocked his eyes to the side in confusion. "There's a bad scene?"

"Not _a_ bad scene. It's the scene with the _Bad_ song in it." Helga corrected, but that just made Arnold continue to frown in confusion. She groaned in annoyance, but perhaps it was partially due to her lack of sleep that made her so cranky. "The scene with a song called _Bad_ in it, you dimwit!" she called him and he scowled at that. "You may look pretty…" he started as he stood up and walked towards her. "But your mouth is still _rotten_." He said with a hiss as he walked past her. Much like her, the lack of sleep made him cranky and her comment hadn't made it any better. She growled at his words before turning to look at him. "Just make sure not to trip over your two left feet! We are both going to be walking on a moving stage. Those scrawny legs of yours have to be able to keep up!" she said and he turned to retort, but the director interfered. "Stop, you two, before it gets out of hand."

_It already got out of hand._ Both Arnold and Helga thought and crossed their arms childishly as they kept their mouths shut. The director was speaking with someone through his phone, probably the scenic designer, while Helga and Arnold continued to pout. They sometimes looked at each other, only to turn their head away when the other was looking. _Great. We're right back to this. It seems like whenever we start getting along, one of us decides to ruin it…_ He thought and then sighed before sitting down on the stage. Helga watched him as he did so before sighing as well, but didn't sit down. She didn't want to risk ruining the dress somehow.

"Thank you." the director said into his phone and then looked at Arnold and Helga. "The scenic designer is on his way, but let's try to run this by ourselves once before he gets here, all right?" he asked and they both nodded as Arnold stood up. Helga then moved to the far end of the stage, behind some walls so she was hidden from the audience. _Ok. I remember reading about this scene. It's the first time Aiden sees Adrasteia, he follows her while she sings. Should be easy._ Arnold thought as he positioned himself at the other end of the scene.

"Start." The director said once everyone but Arnold and Helga were off the stage. Aiden appeared from behind the walls. He was walking around humming to himself, looking happy and carefree when a soft voice ricocheted from nowhere. He stopped his humming and looked around in confusion. "Is someone there?" he asked for the sake of the audience rather than an answer. He walked behind a big wall in the middle of the stage before Adrasteia appeared from behind her own wall, walking slowly with her dress cascading to the floor beneath her. Aiden appeared again and gasped at the sight of the young, beautiful girl. She was the source of the pretty voice and before he knew it, he was hiding behind the wall so that she wouldn't see him.

"_Is it bad that… I never made love? No, I never did it… but I sure know how to fuck._" Adrasteia sang beautifully with an almost agonizing tone in her voice that sounded as if she was crying, but her face was perfectly clean from tears."_I'll be a… bad girl. I'll prove it to you. I can't promise that I'll be good to you. 'Cuz I've had some issues._" She continued as the stage beneath began to move. She stumbled for a second in surprise, but managed to walk elegantly afterwards. Arnold pretended to be Aiden following her behind the moving walls in front of him, but he had far more problems than Helga had a second ago."_I won't commit. No, not having it, but at least I can admit that I'll be bad to you. Yeah, I'll be good in bed… but I'll bad to _- - "

Arnold's ear-pitching shout interrupted Helga's singing. The yell was due to one of the lower walls he had been supposed to jump over, but had missed and caused him to fall face first to the still moving floor. Helga felt worry soar through her at first as the floor stopped beneath and the director asked if Arnold was ok. Once he was sitting on all fours and had given an answer, her worry disappeared and was replaced with reborn anger. _This boy can't do anything right!_ She thought as she marched towards him. "Perhaps I can persuade this inferior creature to join the rest of the human race and stand up on its two legs?" she asked sardonically and he shot her a scowl before holding his hand out for her. She gave him an incredulous look, but took his hand to help him up. "I swear, you are such a - - " she started, but due to the force in her hand when she helped him up, she lost her balance once he bumped into her and they both fell.

"Helga!" David shouted worriedly and was about to jump on the stage before he heard Helga groan in pain. "Ow…" Arnold muttered and sat up as well, noticing that he was now hovering above her. She was rubbing the back of her head with her eyes shut tight; still unaware of the compromising position she was now sharing with Arnold. Once she opened her eyes though and saw him staring shyly down at her, she gulped. She could feel her legs spread around his waist, practically holding him to her, which she presumed she had done in the midst of the fear of falling. It wasn't until she felt a shiver go down her left leg, she tore her eyes away from his and looked at it. The dress had been torn.

"No!" Helga gasped and pushed Arnold off her and looked at the dress. Arnold had been about to frown at her for pushing him off her so roughly until he saw the dress. "Oh, crap." He whispered in shock and she turned to shoot him a dirty look. "Shit indeed!" she corrected and didn't even notice the blood running down her leg. "The dress is ripped and they had just finished it! Why do you have to be such a fucking klutz?!" she yelled and he scowled at her again, forgetting about the blood on her leg. "This wasn't my fault, Helga!"

"Whose fault was it then?"

"No one's! You helped me standing up and we lost our balance! It's called an accident!"

"This _play_ will turn into a freaking accident too with you in it! It's already a perfect car wreck! Look what you did!" Helga said and pointed behind Arnold. He turned his head to look, only to see that the half-wall was now lying on the floor, having been torn in half just like her dress. For a moment, just a moment he was about to apologize, but that was until Helga spoke again. "Everywhere you go, you make a mess, Shortman." She said before standing up, only to then wince in pain. She looked towards the source of the pain and finally saw the blood trickling down her leg. Arnold remembered it again and felt guilt shoot through him. "Helga, I - - " he started, but she just shot him a look and then walked away, holding the dress far away from the blood.

Arnold, along with the director, sighed once Helga was gone. "Arnold." the director said and the boy winched at his harsh tone. "I'm sorry about the wall, sir." He said, but the director shook his head. "The wall is going to be fine. It was a temporary one to begin with. What I am angry about is the outburst between you two." He explained and Arnold looked guiltily at the floor, noticing in the corner of his eye that David was walking out of the room, but not towards the backstage where Helga had gone. "I'm sorry…" Arnold said again and the director sighed once more. "I am also angry with Helga, Arnold, but she is irreplaceable while you're not. You are a very good Aiden, but Helga is an excellent Adrasteia. Now, I suggest… No, I _demand_ that you go and do whatever it takes for you two to act civil towards each other again even if it means kissing her ass." He said and that particular image flashed before Arnold's eyes and he blushed heavily.

Arnold stood up from the floor and brushed the little bit of dust he had on his pants off. The door at the end of the auditorium opened and David was walking rapidly towards him with a white box in his hand. Arnold stayed still as David walked up the stage and offered him the first aid kit. "Salt water to rinse it, bandage and then apology." He told him and forced the box in Arnold's hands. "Thanks." He muttered and walked towards the backstage. He could hear David sigh behind him, but he couldn't hear what kind of sigh it was.

Once Arnold was backstage, he saw some of the girls huddled around Helga as she was sitting on one of the chairs. He coughed to make his presence known and the girls looked at him. "Could Helga and I have a moment… please?" he begged and they looked at Helga who simply sighed and nodded. The girls walked away in silence while Helga looked away, crossing her arms. The dress was pulled all the way up over her thighs so that the blood wouldn't get on it and Arnold desperately had to remember that he was here to apologize. Not to feel… other things.

"I'm sorry…" Arnold muttered as he approached Helga. "Oh, so you admit this was your fault." She stated, still refusing to look at him. He frowned at her words before he sat down on his knees in front of her legs. "I admit that I'm to blame _too_." He corrected before opening the box. She was quiet while he took out the small see-through bottle with saltwater in it. "Close enough, I guess." She mumbled, unaware what Arnold was doing or the fact that he was even on the floor. He ignored her words as he poured some of the salt water onto one of the tissues and then placed it on the side of her lower leg without warning.

Helga shrieked in surprise and flinched at the stinging feeling. Arnold put his hand on her thigh in order to make her stay put though. "Stay still or I can't clean it." He said, but when he put the cloth on the cut again, her hand went to his in order to shove it away. He simply tightened his hold on her thigh though, making it impossible for her to shove it away without him bruising her thigh. After a moment, he could feel the tension in her leg disappearing and he loosened his hold on her thigh. He had expected her to remove her hand from his, but she didn't. She was still digging her nails into his hand, subconsciously punishing him for inflicting pain on her.

"How did you even get bruised?" Arnold wondered aloud and removed the cloth once the blood was gone from Helga's leg. "What do I know?" she wondered sarcastically and he couldn't help but give her a smirk. "Don't you dare answer that." she said angrily, but couldn't help but smirk as well once his eyes had traveled back to the box. He took the bandage with his one hand with ease, but then he realized that he would need his other in order to bandage her. "Uh, Helga… I kinda need my left hand for this." He muttered even though he hated asking her to remove her hand from his.

"Huh?" Helga whispered in confusion and then looked at Arnold's hand on her leg. "Oh, sorry." She said and took her hand away from his. She hadn't even noticed that she was still holding his hand. Once his hand was gone from her thigh though, she suddenly felt cold. Well, she was baring her legs almost completely after all. When she remembered that, she blushed a bit and put her hands near her crotch, her fingers spread at her thighs in order to hide herself at least a bit. Arnold's hands kept wrapping the bandage around her calf, but the motion of her hands caught his attention and when he saw what she had done, he blushed intensely and looked back to her leg instead.

Once Arnold had tightened the bandage around Helga's leg and made sure it stayed there, he let go of her leg. "Thanks…" she muttered and when he looked at her, she looked away in defiance. He smiled at her though and then stood up with the box in his hands. He waited for her to stand up as well, but when she finally moved, he could recognize that glint in her eyes. "You're still a prat though." she insisted with a smirk and walked past him. He rolled his eyes and turned to look at her. "Did you seriously just call me a brat?" he asked and she stopped. "No." she said and looked at him over her shoulder, more than satisfied that he didn't know that word. "I said _prat_. It's spelled with a P. Look it up." She told him cockily before walking outside.

Arnold waited for a short moment before pulling his phone out of his pocket and typing the word on Google. "Prat… _an incompetent or stupid person; an idiot_…" he muttered and then frowned before shoving the phone into his pocket again and then following Helga. Once he saw her on the stage, talking to David, he approached her. "I am not a prat either." he insisted with a frown and she blinked in surprise. "You actually looked it up!" she stated and hunched over laughing. Arnold frowned at her glee, but couldn't help but snicker as well. _I actually did look it up._ He thought and then David took the box from him. "Oh. Thanks." Arnold said and David just nodded at him before walking down the stage.

"Speaking of that box, why did you bandage me up like I seriously injured myself? I believe a band aid would have been more than sufficient." Helga said and bend her leg to look at it for good measure. "Well, _excuse_ me, princess." Arnold said, prolonging the _excuse_ and stuck his tongue out at her. "Did you seriously just make a reference to…" she started out in incredulity, but then started laughing. "You're such a brat!" she added and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, this time I'm a brat and not a prat." He stated before she ruffled his hair. "That's right, Shortman." She told him before walking away. Arnold put his hand to his head, still feeling the warmth of her hand there. _I'm going crazy…_ He muttered before he smiled and followed her.

"Arnold. Helga." The director said and the two blondes looked at him. He lifted his finger and gestured for them to approach him. "Ooh-oh. The finger…" Helga whispered in artificial horror and Arnold struggled to keep in a snicker, but did smile at her. They both walked to him and he sighed at their approach. "After the very unprofessional act just before, I'm afraid I'm going to have to do something about it. I can't ignore the fact that you two fight so much. You have fought at least a couple of times every day and this time, a prop was hurt and so was Helga."

"It's just a scratch, sir. It was Football Head here who decided to make it look like it's broken." Helga pointed out and Arnold rolled his eyes at her comment. "It _could_ have been broken, Helga and you could have gotten hurt too, Arnold. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to do something about this." The director said sternly and Helga blinked in surprise. "You're not kicking him out, are you?" she asked and Arnold looked at her in surprise at her worried tone. "No, Helga, I'm not, but I'm glad to hear that you care enough about the play to worry whether I'd do that." the director said and smiled. Helga frowned for a moment when she realized that what he was saying was true. _Damn_. She thought childishly and crossed her arms.

"While you two were backstage, hopefully making up…" the director started and paused to look at their reaction to his words. Arnold and Helga looked away from each other, both chewing on their bottom lip. The director sighed at that. "While you were backstage, I called my brother who is a therapist." He started and that caught the young adults' attention. Helga looked at the director with panic in her eyes. "I convinced him to send me some exercises and some questions he would usually do for couples in your situation - - "

"Hold on! We are _not_ a couple." Helga hissed and Arnold stopped himself from flinching at her disgusted tone. "I am well aware, Helga. If you were dating, I'd recommend breaking up." The director pointed out, which made them both frown in unison, which didn't go unnoticed to him. _Interesting…_ he thought for a moment, but decided to save that thought for when he had time to think. "Nevertheless, he's being a real help sending me these. He's not getting money for this, so be grateful. Towards the end of the day, I'm going to sit down with you two and we are going to do these questions. I'm willing to do _anything_ to stop you two from fighting so childishly. Understood?" the director asked. Both of the blondes nodded solemnly.

Once the director had turned their back to them, they turned their heads to scowl at each other. "Now, look what your actions has brought on! I am _not_ a sociopath that needs counseling from some hooey balooey therapist!" Helga hissed angrily and Arnold's jaw dropped at her words. "Hooey balooey? First of all, _Helga_." He said and couldn't help but hiss her name a bit. "Who you're talking about is the director's brother so I recommend not speaking so loudly. Secondly, _I_ want to be a therapist." He pointed out, which she just rolled her eyes at. "Oh, so because _you_ want to be a therapist, it's supposed to magically become _not_ hooey balooey for me?" she asked and he shook his head. "No, but you could keep your mouth shut around me!"

"Oh, real therapeutic." Helga said, crossed her arms and started to walk away. "Helga, don't walk away when I'm talking to you." Arnold said and followed her. "What are you; my wife?! I'll walk away when I don't have any more to say to you!" she told him, barely looking over her shoulder as she did so. "Well, I still have something to say to you!" he growled and tried to grab her shoulder. "Let go!" she told him and shook his hand off before she opened the door that led them out of the auditorium. "I'm done with you."

At those words, Arnold grabbed both of Helga's shoulders and turned her around. "No, you're not!" he yelled before pushing her against the wall. She lifted her head to shoot him a hateful look, but in all honesty then she felt her anger falling at the way he was looking at her; he was angry with her, that she was sure of, but there was something else there she hadn't seen before. "I am so sick of your games, Helga!" he told her and she fought against him, but only halfheartedly. "Let go of me, Shortman!" she told him, but he just tightened his hold on her. When her hands went to push at him, he grabbed her wrists instead and placed them on the wall. A shot of heat soared through her at that. _Oh, God, I am such a freak._ She thought and did her best to keep wearing her scowl._ Arnold's furious with me, I'm angry with him and it's turning me on._

"Why do you insist on playing this cat and mouse game?" Arnold asked, his voice still angry, but he seemed calmer now. "I don't know. Who asked you to play along?" Helga asked defensively, but he moved closer to her at that, successfully causing her to tense in his hold. "I don't _want_ to play this game with you. I'm so sick of this cat and mouse thing…" He said, but then something in his eyes told her that he realized something. "No…" he corrected and her eyes widened when he looked at her with such intensity and hunger that she almost blushed. "I'm tired of being the mouse."

With those words, Arnold's lips met Helga's in such a fierce kiss that she gasped. At first, she didn't respond at all with anything else but that gasping sound. Soon though, she pushed against him and successfully removed his lips from hers. "What the hell are you - - " she started, but then he placed his lips on hers again, locking her tightly against the wall. She felt her legs shaking, her hips moving to meet his in some feeble attempt at either pushing him away or getting him closer to her. She didn't really know which it was. "You're stronger than me, Helga." Arnold whispered against her lips, having barely moved an inch away from her. She blinked at his words, but she could barely focus on anything else than the feeling of his hands leaving her wrists and moving to her cheeks instead. "So why aren't you?"

Helga knew the answer to Arnold's question, but she refused to answer. He looked into her eyes for a moment before kissing her again. "Fine." He said and kissed her once more. "Don't answer." He said and then put his lips firmly on hers. She placed her hands on his arms, letting them rest there for a moment as she felt his tongue touch her lip. She shivered when his fingers traveled to the nape of her neck and caressed the soft skin there. She could feel her legs give in and she slowly slid to the floor, him following her almost too much in unison. Once they were both seated on the floor, he let go of her neck and put his hands on the floor next to her hips instead. She wasn't looking at him. She was looking at his lips rather than his eyes. _He just kissed me…_ She barely managed to think and then finally looked at him. _I don't know what to say. My mind's blank._

Helga did notice that in the middle of sliding down the wall, either she or Arnold had managed it so that her legs were bend over his thighs. Her legs had a loose hold around his waist and she tightened that hold a bit, unsure of what else to do. She could see his Adam's apple move when he gulped and she lifted her finger to touch it gently. She felt him tense a little under her touch as her fingers ghosted over his throat and down to his collarbone, almost as if she was exploring him or trying to gawk his reaction. She readjusted her legs on him and remembered the bandage on her leg that seemed to come loose.

"You didn't do a very good job." Helga muttered all of a sudden and the sound of her voice caused Arnold to blink in surprise. He turned his head to look at her leg, which was still placed neatly next to his waist. Rather than answering her, he put his hand on her leg, at first attempting to retie it, but her leg flinched under his touch. He turned his head to look at her and she was blushing so adorably that he couldn't help but let his hand travel further up her leg just to gawk her reaction. "A-Arnold…" she gasped and shut her eyes tight. _Oh, God, she's so…_ Arnold thought, unable to finish his sentence. His eyes almost closed as he inched closer and saw her lips moving nervously. "I…"

"Ok, people, let's start again!" Arnold and Helga could hear the director declare from inside the auditorium and they froze. They opened their eyes, staring into the other's and blushed a bit. Arnold pulled back, much to their displeasure and he offered her his hand. With a small, almost inaudible sigh, she took it and they helped each other stand up. They didn't say a word as they slowly walked towards the door. Arnold suddenly felt that if he left it like this, without a word or some sort of way to prove that this had just happened, they would go right back to whatever they were before. Therefore, before Helga could open the door, he spoke her name, making her turn and look at him. Without giving her a warning, he put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her one last time. Then without a word, he opened the door instead of her and walked inside. She stood still for a moment before following him.

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**Author's 2nd note: I hadn't planned for the kiss to happen actually xD That just sorta came to me all of a sudden and I was like… "Sure, why the hell not?"**

**Song:**

**Wale feat Tiara Thomas – "Bad"**


	7. Why do I not want to stop?

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After the party the night before, both Arnold and Helga weren't sure how to face each other. In the end, it didn't matter since they practically bumped into each other first thing the next morning. The lack of sleep mixed with those internal battles they both had within themselves caused quite the fight between them where Arnold broke a momentary prop on the stage and Helga got her costume ripped. A somewhat tender moment between them went down the train once again when the director told them that he decided they needed to do some couples' exercises in order for them to get along. A fight turned into a heated kiss before they went back to the auditorium, none of them quite sure what had just happened.**_

**Author's 1st note: Sorry it took so long! I've been very lazy this last week :(**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

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Chapter 7: "Why do I not want to stop?"

Except for when they were spoken to, or when they had to speak their lines, Helga and Arnold didn't say a word through the rest of the rehearsals. All Helga had to do was give David a look and he knew she wasn't in the mood to talk with him. That seemed to be enough to keep other people off her back, while Arnold had a harder time getting some time to think about what he had just done. He had to excuse himself to the restroom in order to get some time to himself during the breaks. _What did I…? No, what did we just do before…? I was the one who started it though… Why did I start kissing her? Well, she was definitely frustrating me and… I am sick of this game, but I enjoy it too and… well, that dress didn't make matters better, especially not after it got torn like that! Her legs… No, stop thinking about her legs, you…!_ He thought and shook his head before walking out of the restroom. When he got back into the auditorium, he noticed that Helga still hadn't come back.

Helga was currently occupied with her own thoughts backstage. She was sitting in front of the mirror, watching her face twitch in frustration from time to time. _Ok. Relax, old girl. It's just some therapeutic nonsense. It doesn't have anything to do with your time with Dr. Bliss. The exercises probably aren't even the same! We're probably just supposed to… ask each other questions or answer questions about each other or… talk openly and honestly about our feelings… Shit, I'm in trouble!_ She thought, as she stood up from the chair, unable to sit still anymore. _What was I also thinking last night?_ She wondered while she paced back and forth in the room. _The alcohol must have gotten quicker to my brain than usual; I actually talked to Arnold about the fact that I used to have feelings for him! At least I didn't directly tell him that I still do and he's as dense as a brick so he won't notice on his own unless I tell him._ At that thought, she turned to look at her own reflection, pointing threateningly at it. "And don't you dare tell him, you hear me! He's a distraction enough as it is…" she muttered and started pacing around again. _Arnold used to be my top priority, but not anymore, damn it! The play is my top priority now. It's all for the sake of the play… So go out there, wear your best mask and remember your priorities, girl!_

"Helga? The director is asking for you." Helga heard Maria's voice saying outside the door. "I'm coming!" she answered and looked at herself in the mirror once more. "Get your priorities straight." She told herself again, inhaled deeply and then walked out of the room. When she got out on the stage, they were all sitting around in a circle, the director holding a blue book in his hands. "What is this, group therapy?" Helga asked in incredulity and they turned to look at her. "Sit down, Helga." The director simply told her and she approached the circle to see that there was an obvious space between Arnold and David on the floor. "Oh, gee, way to be subtle. I wonder where I'm supposed to sit?" she wondered sarcastically. She sat down next to Arnold though, crossing her legs mid-action. "Let's get this over with so we can get back to the actual play."

"Agreed." The director said and then opened the book. Arnold leaned forward to look at the title. "A blueprint for love." He read aloud and then looked back at Helga. "Oh, my God…" she groaned and let her forehead fall onto her legs. "The first exercise is to build a foundation of trust." The director read aloud and Helga did nothing to hold back her groan as she looked at Arnold. "We can agree this sounds ridiculous, right?" she hissed in a whisper and he shrugged. "It may be a little… _weird_, but… maybe it'll help?" he suggested and she gave him a slanted look. "Sure… I'll believe it when Hell freezes to ice or when pigs start to fly." She told him before crossing her arms and looking back at the director, who was still reading. "You each say three things you admire about the other." He said and they all looked expectantly at the blondes.

"_Three_?!" Helga repeated in horror and then looked at Arnold. "Ladies first." She said with a smirk and he rolled his eyes. "Ladies first; _really_?" he asked in incredulity. "Hey, you are more of a pansy than I am." She mocked before the director coughed and caught her attention. "_You_ start, Helga." He told her and she rolled her eyes. "Three things I admire about Football Head…" she muttered and then her eyes widened. "_Three_?!" she repeated and shook her head as if that was an impossible project. Arnold sighed and looked away. "This isn't working…" He mumbled in Damon's direction and he patted his shoulder.

Helga then straightened her back, clearing her throat dramatically. "Your horribly annoying talent of always looking at the bright side." She started and Arnold looked back at her. "Is that really a compliment?" he muttered and she looked at him. "I'm not supposed to be complimenting you; I'm telling you what I admire about you." she corrected and he lifted his eyebrows at that. "You've got a funny way of doing that." He said before she hushed him and went back to thinking. "I admire… your endless need to help people who are clearly only taking advantage of you." she continued and he sighed once again. _I'm not feeling the trust…_ He thought sarcastically. He didn't notice Helga looking at him while he made that sigh. "And… I admire that you can put up with me."

At that, Arnold blinked in surprise and turned his head to look at Helga, who shrugged innocently. It was the truth after all; she knew it couldn't be easy to deal with her. She was definitely doing her best to make it a sour task to do. "Thanks, Helga…" he said in awe and she just shrugged again and looked away. She saw David smiling at her, whispering that he was proud of her. She rolled her eyes at his comment, but couldn't help but feel a little proud herself. Her way of phrasing it had been rude, but she did in fact admire the things she had just stated. _I could come up with more if I had to… but I probably shouldn't give the Football Head a bigger head than he already has._ She thought with an inward snicker.

"Ok, Arnold. Your turn." The director said as he wrote down Helga's answers. "Oh, boy…" she muttered and turned to look at Arnold who was looking thoughtfully on the floor. "Your sense of humor…" he started and then looked up towards the ceiling. "That you don't take lip from anyone." He added and then looked at the floor again. "And your Devil may care attitude." He finished and looked at her, only to see her looking at him in surprise. "That was… surprisingly easy. You admire my Devil may care attitude? I figured goody-two-shoes like you would _hate_ that." She observed and he shrugged like she had. "I don't." Arnold answered matter-of-factly.

"All right. Next exercise." The director said as he wrote down Arnold's answers. "_Next_?" Helga repeated in disbelief. "Has your relationship healed, Helga?" the director asked. "I'm good." Helga muttered in defiance, but the director simply looked into the book again. "Three things you would change about each other and about yourselves." He read aloud and Helga groaned loudly again. "This time _you_ start." She said as she pointed at Arnold who nodded. "Ok, uh… three things I'd change about you." he muttered and hummed thoughtfully. He could easily come up with a few… he just wasn't sure if she would like him saying those aloud in front of the others. "Uh… do I have to say it while the others hear it?" he asked and Helga looked at him in surprise. "Is it that bad?" she asked and he shook his head. "I'm just not sure if you appreciate me saying it aloud…"

Helga blinked in surprise while the director nodded. "You can just tell Helga, Arnold. It's her who's supposed to hear it anyway." He said and Arnold nodded before leaning towards Helga. He ignored the ticklish feeling that roamed in his stomach when his knee touched hers and simply let his mouth get close to her ear, barely noticing that she was shivering a little at their proximity as well. "Your family…" he whispered first and when he leaned back, she smiled. "Thanks." She said with a small snicker and he snickered as well before leaning forwards again. "Your need to not tease me, but actually _mock_ me." She continued and she blinked in surprise. "There's a difference?" she wondered and he nodded. "Teasing is fun… Mocking hurts."

Helga felt an arrow hit her heart with a note attached to it with the word guilt on it. She wanted to apologize, but before she could, he had leaned forward again. "And also… your lack of trust." He said and leaned back. She blinked in surprise at this last addition and then she looked at him. They looked at each other for a moment before Helga looked at the director. "What's next?" she asked with an unreadable expression. "Uh, three things you'd change about yourself, Arnold." he answered, wondering what Arnold had just told Helga that made her seem so out of it.

"Um… my naïveté." Arnold started and Helga smiled at that. "So, basically your sunny-side-up attitude?" she asked and he smiled back. "Both yes and no. I like that I can look at the bright side, but that also means I sometimes trust people I shouldn't." he explained and she nodded thoughtfully. "And, uh… my people-pleasing need." He added, remembering that Helga had once told him exactly that when they were twelve. A girl Arnold had been having a small crush on for a while had told him that she couldn't date someone who was a pathological rescuer. Helga had overheard and when he saw her, he had asked what that meant. Helga had told him that it basically meant that his need to help people had gone unhealthy over the years and that experience had stuck with him ever since. He could see on Helga's face that she recognized the story even without him telling her. "And I guess…" he continued with a small sigh. "My luck with girls."

Helga blinked slowly at that. _Makes sense, I guess. Arnold's always fallen for the wrong girls… but if he really got rid of the naïveté, I'd say his luck with girls would change automatically._ She thought and waited for the director to give her the go. He then smiled at her after he had written the answers down. "Your turn, Helga. What would you change about Arnold?" he asked and they all seemed to hold their breath. Helga hummed artificially thoughtfully. "… His personality, his wardrobe and his address." She said, but started snickering before she could finish her sentence. Arnold gave her a slanted look and she bit her lip. "Sorry. Couldn't resist." She told him and then made an honest thoughtful expression.

"Pretty much the same things, honestly." Helga said and Arnold quirked an eyebrow at that. _Can't she think of something on her own…? Or does she mean it?_ He wondered. "Helga, are you being lazy?" David asked and she turned to look at him. "No, I swear. I just happen to agree with Arnold… for once." She quickly added and the director shrugged before he wrote them down. "And what you would change about yourself?" he asked as his pen scribbled on the paper. At that, Helga's eyes widened before they blinked. "Uh… only three?" she muttered under her breath. Only Arnold heard it and his chest stung at the words.

"I guess my, um… I hate that I can't focus on just one thing. My feelings always get the better of me. I guess I would wish I wasn't so hot-tempered." Helga said and the director kept writing as he nodded for her to go on. _Ugh, this is horrible…_ She thought, but decided to give her next answer without hesitating for too long. "My, um… I'd like be more accepting of new people, I guess? I judge too quickly… Maybe. I don't know." She answered, starting to feel more than a little uncomfortable with having to put herself out there in this way. "And lastly… my lack in trust." She said and gave Arnold a secret look. He wasn't sure whether to smile or frown at that addition, but he didn't say anything.

"All right." The director said with a happy face. "You're both doing very well. Next is what you have in common." He said and put his pen ready on the paper. Helga and Arnold blinked in unison and turned to look at each other. "Um… we're both blonde." Helga stated first and Arnold rolled his eyes. "I don't think that counts." He said. "How would _you_ know? Did you write the effing book?" she asked. "No, but - - " he started before she interrupted him. "Then shut up, Football Head." She told him, but there was no real anger in her voice so he just rolled his eyes. "Fine, we're both blonde…" He concluded. "We both grew up in Hillwood."

"Why would that count if blonde doesn't?"

"There are more blonde people in this world than there are people from Hillwood, Helga."

"Fine, Hillwood then… We both, uh… don't have traditional families?" Helga suggested gently. To her relief, Arnold didn't seem hurt by the mentioning of family. "We have less than ideal families…" he concurred. "But we both love them nevertheless?"

"No, that's just you."

"Helga…"

"Ok, fine! We both love our _special_ families." Helga said and rolled her eyes. "Are we done yet?"

"Is that _all_ we have in common, Helga?" Arnold asked as he realized that they did in fact not have all that much in common at all. "_We've got nothing in common at all…_" Helga sang absentmindedly in a low voice. Arnold frowned, but when she grinned apologetically at him, he just sighed. "That's… not a lot." He observed with a frown. "Oh, come on." She said before turning her back to the circle, only to lie down on her back and look at Arnold from her new position. "We can't possibly think of _everything_ within a minute."

"I guess not… Any other exercises?" Arnold asked, hoping that the next exercise could give some more positive results. "Let's see… Uh, share a secret with each other." The director read aloud and both blondes frowned. "I refuse." Helga said and closed her eyes indifferently. "It doesn't have to be something big, Helga. It's just to prove that you trust each other." The director explained. Helga had half the mind to tell him that she _didn't_ trust Arnold, but then she thought of a secret she could bear Arnold knowing about. Also, she did trust him more than she knew or wanted to admit. "Fine." She said, sat up and then her lips went towards his ear. The ticklish feeling shooting down his spine when he felt her breath in his ear almost made him forgot to listen to her. "I took ballet lessons as a child. It was forced, but still."

Arnold blinked a couple of times and then looked at Helga. "I knew that." He said before he could think of the consequences. "_What_?!" she hissed in shock. "How the fuck do you know about that?" she asked and he realized his mistake. "Um… ok, here's my secret." He said and leaned closer to her. She frowned at his evasiveness, but leaned closer anyhow to let him whisper in her ear. Much like him, she wished that his secret would take long to tell her. "I know about your secret because Gerald wanted to blackmail you." he whispered and leaned back, giving her a smirk. "Explain." She ordered and he snickered. "Remember back when we had that whole… who has the better newspaper war in fourth grade?"

"Um… oh, yeah, but what does that… Criminy, it was revenge for that you being in love with a tree thing, right?"

"Yeah. Gerald hired Sid to spy on you and - - "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! So _both_ you, Gerald _and_ Sid knows about this?"

"Yeah."

"Wait. Hold on. You never printed those pictures because then I would have been bullied until I had knocked the teeth out of everyone."

"No, I… didn't let them. I also made them never tell anyone about it." Arnold admitted, feeling his chest starting to tighten at the way Helga was looking at him. "Really…? So… you kept that secret for all these years?" she asked and he nodded solemnly. It was so quiet all of a sudden; everyone was watching as Helga let a very small blush appear on her cheeks, so small that only Arnold could see it and that made his heart jump into his throat. She turned her eyes away from his and put her chin on her now bend knees, her back turned to the others. "Thanks…" she muttered quietly. He gulped. "You're welcome…" he responded, but then she shot up again and turned her whole body so that she could face him her left rather than her right. "Hold on. That's not _your_ secret!"

"Damn." Arnold hissed sarcastically and snickered at her slanted expression. "Give me a real secret, Shortman." She told him and he hummed thoughtfully._ Something I could let Helga know about… Ok, this might be a random secret, but it's not something anyone else but Gerald knows about._ He thought and then leaned towards her ear again. "I once had a crush on a girl whose name I don't even know." He told her she snorted loudly at that. "You're crazy. How can you crush on someone if you don't know their name?"

"Well, I thought her name was Cecile, but then the real Cecile appeared and - - "

"Wait. What?" Helga questioned, her eyes starting to widen at that familiar name. "C-Cecile?"

"Yeah. Remember our pen pals back in fourth grade?" Arnold asked. Helga nodded tentatively. "Well, I got a letter from my pen pal Cecile telling me that she was coming to visit me in Hillwood… but the girl I met at the restaurant wasn't really her. It sounds crazy. I have no idea who this fake Cecile really was." He explained and chuckled before he saw Helga's panicked face. "Whoa, you really are a moron. Falling for a liar and a cheat." She said before giving a short laugh and then looking at the director. "Any other exercises?"

_Well, that's not the reaction I had expected…_ Arnold thought and then frowned. _Why is Helga acting this way…? Now that I think about it, who was Cecile anyway? I thought about it for so long as a child, but I never saw her again and I never figured out who… who…_ His eyes widened and he looked at Helga. _Long, blonde hair… blue eyes… pink bow…_ "Oh, my God." Arnold said without any emotion when he realized who Cecile had been. At his words, she turned to look at him. "Is something wrong, Arnold?" she asked in a rather familiar tone in her voice. _"Is something wrong, Arnold?"_ repeated in his head, but it came out of the mouth of Cecile. "Uh… n-no. I'm, uh… C-Can we take a break?" he asked the director, but kept looking at Helga. Her eyes got big at the way he was looking at her. _N-No way… Arnold's too dense to…_ She thought before she heard the director give him the ok for a break. Arnold stood up, on his way to walk out of the room. Helga barely managed to sigh in relief and stand up before he seemed to change his mind and grabbed her hand. "Arnold?" she questioned before he pulled her with him, practically running off with her. "What's gotten into you?!"

Arnold ignored Helga's question as he pulled her out of the auditorium, only to push her up against the wall. "Hey! Haven't we been here before?" Helga asked with a scowl at the familiar position, except Arnold had moved his hands away from her shoulders as soon as he had gotten her where he wanted. "Tell me the truth." He said with a voice that showed no sign of backing off. "What _truth_, Arnold?" Helga asked, hoping that playing stupid would make him give up. He just gave her a slanted look. "Are you Cecile?" he asked as if he was talking to a slow child. _Well, fuck me then._ She thought and coughed awkwardly. "Are you seriously asking me if I'm your old _French_ pen pal Cecile?"

"No, I'm asking if you're that _blonde_ _bow-wearing_ girl who _pretended_ to be my pen pal."

"Have you got any idea how ridiculous you sound?"

"Answer me!"

"Get outta my way, you crazy son of a - - " she started and tried to push him away. As soon as her hand was on his arm though, he put his palms on the wall behind her, successfully trapping her. Her hand on his arm tightened its grip and she knew that it wasn't because of fear. _I need to see an actual therapist about this… I'm in love with the sweet Arnold, but this dominant one is turning me on like crazy!_ She thought as he leaned threateningly closer to her: well, it had supposed to seem threateningly at least. "Helga, tell me the truth this time. I… I looked for _Cecile_, you know." He told her, completely unaware of the current effect he had one her, but hadn't he always been? She looked at him. "Really?" she asked in a small voice and he nodded. "I… still have the shoe actually." He said and she blinked in surprise. "You still have the shoe?" she asked, but regretted her question as soon as she saw his smug smile. "I mean, what shoe?"

"Helga…" Arnold chastised, but she simply turned her face away from his. "You know… dressing up like my pen pal isn't nearly on the same level as _stalking_ and you admitted _that_." he told her and felt her hand squeeze his arm. He hadn't even noticed that it was still there. "I didn't admit _shit_, Shortman. I was out of my freaking mind back then and you had me backed up in a corner!" she told him in a hiss and looked at him again, only to feel him getting closer to her. _His leg is touching mine!_ She thought and realized how stupid it was to moan over that; they had done worse during the play, but right now they weren't Aiden and Adrasteia… they were Arnold and Helga.

"I have you backed up in a corner again, Helga, so it's time to confess." Arnold told her and for the first time noticed her ragged breathing. He blinked in surprise as he felt her whole body shiver. Her lips were slightly parted in the most tempting way, her eyes only half-opened as if she was hoping that seeing less of him would make her feel less as well though she wasn't even looking at him as much as his lips. _Damn it… He's gone quiet. What the hell do I say?_ She thought while Arnold was wondering something along those lines as well. _What… was it that I wanted her to confess again?_ He pondered as he saw her bite her lower lip in tension, but it was such an alluring sight that before he knew it, he was leaning closer to her. She made a low and long gasp, more like an anticipated groan when she saw him moving towards her. She didn't move an inch until his lips were upon hers and she leaned against him to feel him more.

_I'm losing my head…_ Helga thought as her hands went to Arnold's cheeks and she pulled him against her, moaning when his hands met her shoulders and traveled down her back. She swayed against him when his pelvis met hers and he made the most charming groan she had ever heard. Her fingers went into his hair, pulling as she nibbled on his lip. His fingers on her back twisted on the fabric of her dress in desperation for her to keep kissing him and she happily complied. She let her tongue reach for his upper lip and he stiffened in anticipation. She let it slide gently before plunging inside his mouth, searching for his tongue. He breathed through his nose as he leaned closer against her, their stomachs touching and his pelvis bucking against hers in rigid movements.

Helga gasped through her nose when she felt Arnold's growing need for her and in her hazy mind, she was ready to let him have her right then and there if the director's voice from inside the auditorium hadn't made them both snap back and look at each other in shock. Helga turned her head to look towards the door, not that it made the bigger difference on her hearing, but she needed her eyes away from Arnold's before she drowned in them again. To her slight dismay slash slight happiness, Arnold hadn't come out of his own trance yet and was now kissing her neck. She moaned at the feeling of his wet tongue on her pulse point and her first reaction was to put her hands on his cheeks in order to have him stay put, but then she started pushing against him instead.

"A-Arnold, hold on." She told him, but Arnold was too emerged in what he was doing to hear her. That's what he wanted her to believe anyway. In reality, he just didn't want to stop. "Arnold, stop!" she said with a small laugh emerging at the back of her throat and she finally got him to look at her, though only because she had forced his mouth away from her neck. "Since when did _I_ become the voice of reason and you the - - mmph!" she gasped when his mouth met hers desperately. _Oh, God… why is he being so insistent? _She wondered feebly as she felt her knees start to buckle beneath her. He leaned back, that small smidge of reason he still had in him forcing him to. He looked at her expectantly, giving her one last chance to stop him before he lost his mind. If it had been colder around them, their breaths could have been seen mingled like white smoke in-between them. She put her hands on his cheeks, her eyes darting from his eyes to his lips. "Oh, screw it." she said and kissed him again, moaning instantly.

As soon as the kiss had begun though, the sound of the door opening made them pull apart quicker than a couple having an affair would have. David had just come out of the door and blinked as he watched them. _Oh, God…_ Helga thought as she saw pain flash in his eyes. "Uh… th-the director is calling for you." he said rather calmly, but Helga had known him for enough years to see that he wasn't calm at all. He knew how little she wanted to hurt him so he flashed her a reassuring smile before he went back inside. Helga felt her happiness crumble in her chest and she hid her face behind her hands. "Oh, God…" she muttered behind her hands made a shaky sigh. Arnold watched her in silence for a moment. "Sorry…" he said, but he wasn't quite sure what he was apologizing for. She shook her head at his word though and showed him her face again. "No. I'm sorry. I just…" she started, unsure of how to portray her feelings properly. "I don't like seeing him like that."

Arnold didn't know what to say to that. Helga didn't seem like she had expected him to say anything either though so he simply went towards the door and opened it for her. She looked at him in slight surprise before walking past him and inside the auditorium. "What are we doing, Arnold?" she asked, stopping while she was in the doorframe. Before he could say anything, she continued speaking. "It's… extremely unprofessional. It goes against every unwritten rule when it comes to acting." She said and he winced in pain, expecting her to tell him that she wanted him to stay away from her from now on or that she wanted to keep things low. "So…" she started and turned her head to look at him, her teeth biting down on her lower lip in a frustrated smile and her eyes brimming with invisible tears. "Why don't I want to stop?"

It was a small confession if you thought about it, compared to back at FTI. Helga hadn't really told him anything, except that she liked kissing him and that could mean so many things at this age and in their peculiar situation. But it was enough for Arnold to feel hope soaring through him, his heart leaping. "I don't - - " he started, wanting to tell her that he didn't want to stop either, when the director's voice interrupted him. They both turned to look towards the stage, where the director was waving at them impatiently. Before Arnold could finish his sentence, Helga had started walking further into the auditorium. He sighed and followed her in silence. _This is so messed up._ He thought as they sat back down in the circle again. He noticed Helga looking guiltily at David who was looking at the director rather than her. _Oh, man… I need to talk to Gerald._

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**Author's 2nd note: Again: I'm sorry that this particular chapter took so long O_O I've been oddly lazy lately, I have a feeling it's because my summer vacation has lasted this long and not doing anything "practical" for this long is making me more lazy than usual xD Also I've gotten the Sims 4 demo so I'm creating Sims whenever I have the chance... Any Sims fans out there excited for the new game?! xD I've attempted creating the gang from HA! in sims, but damn is it hard to make them look right O_O I made a good Rhonda though, I think xD**

**Song:**

**Christopher – "Nothing in common"**


	8. Here we go again

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After the very passionate, and sudden, kiss between Arnold and Helga, they both did their best to keep calm around each other. They didn't speak with others in order to keep their minds in order, but in the end neither of them knew what they wanted, felt or needed. Helga and Arnold faced the therapeutic exercises head-on and got to know a little, or perhaps, a lot more about each other.**_

_**When Arnold told Helga a secret as part of the exercise, Helga's reaction made him wonder if she knew more about this secret girl he used to have a crush on as a child. A pleading for her to tell him the truth, turned into another kiss that left them both with more questions than answers.**_

**Author's 1st note: The fifteenth I officially started school again! It's so weird… Oh, well, my schedule is off the hook, to put it mildly, so I'm kinda pumped and yet not at all because you know… it's **_**school.**_** xD**

**Oh, also the song that is being played during the first "scene" that starts at the fourth paragraph in this chapter is Hex Rx – "Dominate". I recommend playing it while reading this scene. Warning: Make sure you're volume is not too loud in case you don't know this song xD No. Seriously. Turn it down… ;)**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 8: "Here we go again"

The next few exercises went by within minutes. Neither Arnold nor Helga was very focused on their own or the other's answers and the director gave up on continuing. He closed the book with a small sigh and smiled. "Well, as little as the last few ones interested you, I'd say you have both improved from the others." He said and stood up, his actors loyally following suit. Helga and Arnold looked at each other for a moment before standing up. There was a bit of shame in their eyes, but also some of that longing that would always be there. _I have a feeling it's the kissing we've been doing today that's been more therapeutic than these exercises…_ Arnold thought and shut his eyes as he felt a blush creep up on his cheeks.

"Now, I would like to include everybody a little bit more as we go back to rehearsals. I think it's time to rehearse the big fight scene between Aiden and the pimp again." The director said and Helga felt the color drain from her face. _Criminy, you have rotten timing, director!_ She scolded in her head and her eyes quickly flashed towards David to gauge his reaction. He seemed normal as he simply nodded at the director's suggestion. _If he's feeling shitty right now, he's good at hiding it… Then again, unlike me, he's always been good at hiding his own emotions rather than just pretending to be someone else._ She thought with a sigh and looked at Arnold.

Contrary to David, he looked a little panicked at the scene they were supposed to rehearse. _The fight scene? That one's pretty choreographed… What if I miss? Or he misses… and we actually end up hurting each other? I can't imagine David would hurt me on purpose, but then again… I haven't known him for that long, but… No, I'm being paranoid. He's professional. He wouldn't let his feelings get in the way… like I do._ He thought and groaned before walking behind one of the fake walls, hiding him from the future audience. _Hold on… Doesn't this scene start with - - _

"Places!" the director said, successfully interrupting Arnold's thoughts. Helga took her place along with some girls behind her and some boys sitting around her. They had to imagine that there was a smaller scene at the right front of the bigger stage since that was how it was going to be once the premier would enroll. For now though, they had to pretend. An electric sound ricocheted for a moment over the speakers, Helga and the girls jerking like robots to it until it drums, guitars and every possible instrument appeared over the speakers, creating a loud and chaotic sound and the girls jerked heavily to the music, just making it up as they go.

Arnold appeared in what was supposed to be the strip club, looking around frantically, pretending to be Aiden looking for Adrasteia. Once he saw her up on the stage, men's eyes ogling her, his face turned into one of rage. He had seen her like that so many times before, but things had changed now. He knew she had stronger feelings for him that she let on and he didn't understand why she wouldn't let him get her out of this place and help her start a decent life with him. Surely, that was the preferable choice over selling her body and presumably her soul like this? He went straight towards her, her eyes barely catching him approaching her before he grabbed her arm and yanked her away from the lustful eyes. "Aiden!" she exclaimed in surprise before he pulled her away, the music still booming behind them.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Taking you home!"

"This _is_ my home!" Adrasteia said as she yanked her hand out of Aiden's grasp and turned to walk back to her stage, but he walked in front of her, successfully stopping her in her steps. "Adrasteia, this is not a home! It's a strip club. A working place for harlots. You don't belong here." He told her. "I _do_ belong here. I was born here." She insisted, angry tears prickling her eyes. Why did he refuse to give up? "You were not born here, Adrasteia. You know that as well as I do. You were _bought_ by that disgusting creature." He told her, her face turning away from his in frustration. "This man is the only one who has ever wanted me. Not even my own parents wanted anything to do with me." She said with a sneer and attempted to walk past Aiden, but he grabbed her shoulders and shook her in place. "_I_ do."

Adrasteia's breath got caught in her throat and for a moment, it felt as if the music around her dulled. It did in fact dull and the dancers slowed their moves while David slowly appeared in the way back of the stage, cleverly placed right where the audience would be able to see him. "_I_ want you, Adrasteia and not in the same way the men you have met before do. I want all of you. Your sweet laughter, your cute smile, your heart when it beats in synch with mine. I want all of that and so much more." He told her, love in his voice. Adrasteia felt her heart speed up and her body acted before her mind could tell her that it was a bad idea. She leaned into him, crashing her lips against his, desperate to feel his love and not just hear it. She needed to feel loved for just a moment. He pulled her against him, holding her with just as much fervor as she was holding him.

Then the music got louder again, a male almost animalistic voice screaming over the speakers before Adrasteia felt Aiden getting torn from her grasp. The next thing she saw was the only man, until this moment, she had ever felt any bond to beating up the only man who had ever made her feel loved. "No! Please!" she begged and tried to stop his punching arm, but he just pushed her away, her body falling to the floor hard. "Adrasteia!" Aiden yelled angrily and then turned to sneer at the attacking man in front of him. He punched him right back and so began a fight between the two men in Adrasteia's life.

No one in the club noticed or they didn't seem to care. The girls kept dancing, the men kept hollering obscene things over the music and Adrasteia watched in horror, afraid for her love's life. Suddenly, almost out of nowhere, Aiden fell to the floor. He didn't get up. "Aiden… Aiden!" Adrasteia shrieked and was about to run to him, but felt a strong arm grab her around her waist and stopping her. Without a word, she was pulled away from the stage, her screams being ignored by the people around her as she cried and screamed for Aiden to wake up.

"Great!" the director said as the music died and Arnold got himself up from the stage, instantly looking towards David and Helga who appeared again. Helga rubbed her stomach, which wasn't easy since she had changed into her gray and pink sweatshirt before they had started the therapeutic exercises. "Next time, drag me a little more gently, would you?" she asked with humor in her voice and David smiled apologetically. "Sorry." He said and she forced her smile to stay on. _He was definitely not as careful as he usually is in this scene… He wasn't… punishing me, was he?_ She wondered, but then she shook her head at the idea. It was a ridiculous thought. David was little hurt and angry now, but he wouldn't get physical with her surely. Her eyes found Arnold's and she waited to see if he seemed hurt somehow. She wasn't sure why she was being so paranoid, but she just wanted to make sure. He simply smiled at her, showing no signs of pain. She sighed in relief as she approached him along with David.

"Well, everybody. I'd say this is a nice time to say goodbye." The director said and seemed to be holding back a yawn. "That's early." Helga declared as she looked at David's wristwatch. "I think we deserve it today. Go home. Get some well-deserved rest and we'll meet at the usual time tomorrow." He told and they all sighed in content and started to go their separate ways, some to the backstage and some just grabbing their bags on the seats and getting out of the auditorium. _Perfect._ Helga thought and put her hand on David's shoulder. "Hey, this might be our opportunity to explore Hillwood like we talked about?" she asked hopefully, but he didn't seem too keen on the idea. "Uh, I'd love to, Helga, but I'll have to take a rain check." He told her with a small smile. "I'm pretty tired and the director is right. Rest should be our top priority now that we have the chance."

"Oh…" Helga mumbled, barely able to hide her disappointment as she removed her hand from his shoulder. "Ok. Yeah, I get that. See you tomorrow?" she asked and he smiled at her more lightly. "Yeah. See ya." He told her, patted her shoulder and then jumped off the stage to head towards the door. "Fantastic." Helga muttered to herself, not noticing that Arnold was approaching her from the side. "Now he hates me…" she added and walked past Arnold to walk down the stage. "He doesn't hate you, Helga." He insisted as he followed her. "How do you know?" she asked a little snippily. "It's a guess." He admitted and she rolled her eyes. "But it's a qualified one."

"I don't want your qualified guesses. I need a way to fix this." Helga told Arnold before she started to change her shoes to outdoor ones instead. "How the fuck do I solve this?" she muttered to herself, but Arnold could hear her as he leaned against the stage, having jumped off it as well. "I didn't want to hurt him, but it was inevitable… He didn't have to see Arnold and me like that though. An apology is not going to be appreciated. It's kinda stupid at this point to apologize for something I've already apologized for and he doesn't even think I should apologize for anyway… so what should I do?"

"Talking to yourself?" Arnold couldn't help but question in amusement. "Yeah, it's the only way to have an intelligent conversation around here." Helga told him with the same monotone voice as before. He couldn't help but look around, reminding himself that everyone had either already left or gone backstage to get changed. He sighed and looked at her. "Are we back to that?" he asked and she gave him a look and then shrugged. "I don't know, Football Head. What is _that_?" she asked him and stood up from the floor. "Name-calling for one thing." He muttered with a frown. "Look, Arnold." she said before grabbing her bag. "I don't have it in me to be Miss Sensitive right now."

"Why would you also start now…?" Arnold muttered sarcastically under his breath. "I need to figure out a way to make it up to David." Helga continued, either not noticing his words or ignoring them completely. "He must feel so unloved right now, like if no one could ever like him or something." She continued with a melancholic sigh. "That's not true. Maria likes him and I'm sure a lot of other girls has and will in the future." Arnold pointed out matter-of-factly, but frowned in confusion when Helga showed him a surprised expression. "Maria likes David?"

Arnold gulped and then hissed in pain. "Oops…" he muttered and Helga then approached him, a desperate look in her eyes. "Maria _likes_ David?" she asked again and Arnold sighed. "Damon told me." He answered with a shrug. _I am so bad at keeping secrets. How come they always just fly out of my mouth like that?_ He thought, but then remembered how they had talked about Helga's ballet lessons. _Huh. Helga's secret I've managed to keep… Why can't I keep anyone else's?_ He wondered for a moment, feeling guilt flooding through him until he saw Helga's smirk as she looked at nothing in particular.

"Oh, no. Helga, I know that look. What are you thinking?" Arnold asked and she turned to smirk at him. "What would you say is the best way to mend a broken love?" she asked and he was momentarily stunned at her way of phrasing it. He knew Helga could speak quite beautifully, but he was always taken aback when she suddenly spoke like that. "A… new love?" he suggested and her smirk turned into a big grin. "Ding-ding-ding." She whispered giddily and then giggled. His heart stopped at the sight of her, all happy like that. It didn't happen too often.

"But wouldn't that make Maria David's rebound girl?" Arnold asked apprehensively, but Helga waved her hand in dismissal. "No way. David doesn't start finding a person attractive until he's gotten to know them properly first… Unlike some people." Helga mocked and Arnold rolled his eyes. "That was when I was a kid, Helga." He pointed out and she simply stuck her tongue out at him. "It actually makes sense actually… I think David would like Maria a lot…" She muttered thoughtfully. "Really?" Arnold asked curiously and she nodded. "I mean, he often told me he didn't get why he liked me. There's a lot of things about me he doesn't like. Maria seems more like his type honestly."

"Oh, I do wonder what things David doesn't like about you." Arnold teased, which earned him a punch to his shoulder from Helga. "That might be one of those things…" he pointed out with a groan and she smirked. "On the contrary, he likes that I can punch as good as the next guy." She said and he continued to rub his slightly sore arm. "Well, sure, but no one likes getting _punched_ themselves." He said and grumbled dramatically. "Aw, poor baby. Want me to kiss it away?" she asked mockingly, but Arnold couldn't help but look at her in embarrassment, feeling anticipation rising within him.

Helga's eyes then caught sight of Maria appearing from backstage and she waved. "Maria, hold on!" she told her as Maria looked at her and nodded. Helga let her bag fall to the floor and walked past Arnold, about to approach Maria, but then turned to point at him. "Stay." She ordered with no room for argument. He frowned in surprise. "Yes, mistress." He answered like a genie belonging in a lamp before he could consider his words first. She looked at him over her shoulder, a confused and yet impressed smile on her face. "Arnold, that's hardly appropriate talk in public." She told him and he blushed furiously before she turned her head around to continue her way to Maria again. _You're infuriating!_ He thought, embarrassed that she had gotten him to blush again so easily.

"Hi, Maria. Could I talk with you for a second?" Helga asked, pointing with her thumb away from Arnold and holding her other hand out for Maria to take. "Uh… sure, Helga." She told her, took her hand and jumped off the stage. She followed her obediently until they were out of Arnold's hearing range. "So… Maria, I have a feeling that you like David." Helga told her with a big grin and Maria looked mortified. "Oh, God, Helga. I, uh, I - - " she started, obviously scared that Helga would react badly, but the blonde girl shook her pink strands of hair furiously. "No, no, no. I'm happy for you." she told her reassuringly, grabbing her hands. Maria looked surprised. "You are?"

"Yes. In fact, I want to help you. You know, tell you about the things David likes, hates, his interests. Give you a chance to get to know him and get him to want to know you. You can take my advices if you want and ignore others, but if you will let me, I want to help you." Helga told her in a fast voice, but Maria caught the gist of what she said. "Helga, this is pretty sudden! I-I-I… I, uh… You really want to help me?" she finally asked and Helga sighed. "If I'm totally honest… yes, I want to help you, but it's for David as much as it's for you. I've hurt David a lot, Maria, and I don't know how to make it up to him. I'm hoping that if he falls in love with you… maybe he can forgive me."

Maria was shocked at Helga's honesty. She had never seen Helga vulnerable before, never seen her desperate for something. Helga's intentions may not have been the purest, but she was earnest about it and Maria couldn't help but smile at her, feeling like she suddenly got a little closer to her. "Ok. I'd love your help, Helga. Thank you so much!" she said happily and couldn't contain her urge to hug her. Helga choked for a second; still not very fond of physical contact, especially from people she wasn't very close to, which wasn't many. She saw Arnold snickering though, him noticing her discomfort easily. She rolled her eyes and patted Maria's back a couple of times before the girl pulled back. "I'm so excited for tomorrow!" she announced before skipping off.

Helga looked at Maria for a second, shaking her head a little in amusement. She then folded her hands behind her back, leaned back a little bit and taking bouncy steps towards Arnold who looked curiously at her way of walking. "Oh, the cleverness of me!" she announced proudly and he chuckled her words. "And I did nothing?" he asked sarcastically and she shrugged. "You did a little." She admitted and he huffed artificially. "_A little_?" he repeated in disbelief and went towards his own bag, which he had made a habit of leaving against the wall the same way Helga did. "Oh, don't be like that." she told him as she followed him. He ignored her, a little satisfied that she was following him and sat down on his knees in front of his bag.

Arnold could feel Helga's presence behind him, but he still choked on his breath when he felt her sit down behind him, her chest against his back and her hands on his shoulders. "You were astonishing." She whispered a little mockingly, but all he felt was her warm breath tickling his ear, coaxing him into turning his head around to face her. She looked at him for a moment, her eyes only half-opened as if she was about to kiss him, but then she stood up. Arnold sighed in both relief and disappointment. He couldn't help but feel if Helga started something _now_, he wouldn't be able to keep it decent for long.

"You boys and your little egos." Helga then mocked, kind of to Arnold's relief, as she sauntered towards her bag. He didn't realize until now, but he could much better deal with her mocking and teasing rather when she was close to flirtatious. He hadn't experienced that Helga before and that Helga was… really rather kissable… among other indecent things he refused to describe her as. "Says the girl with the biggest ego I've ever met." He teased as he swung his bag over his shoulder. Helga turned to look at him, eyes hooded, as she swung her bag over her shoulder. She strolled towards him, his heart jumping into his throat as he was sure she was about to kiss him. He had to fight the urge to shut his eyes tight when her face was suddenly close to his. Rather than kissing him, she made a repetitive mocking click with her tongue to his former comment and then started walking nonchalantly towards the door. He waited for a moment as he let his heart find its rightful place in his chest again before following her.

"You're just waiting for me to kiss you, aren't you?" Helga asked with such an indifferent voice that Arnold for a moment stumbled on his feet at how casually she could bring that up. "Wha-What makes you say that?" he asked, cursing at himself for his obvious stutter. She turned to look at him, her eyes still half-covered by her lids in that way Arnold found so very enticing. She walked back towards him and his legs tensed, gluing him to the floor as he shut his eyes tight.

"Maybe the fact that you're closing your eyes right now…" Helga whispered mockingly and Arnold opened his eyes, seeing that her face was so close to his that he could only see her blue eyes. "I, uh, I…" he mumbled and she snickered for a short moment. "Where did the aggressive Arnold go?" she wondered teasingly and turned to continue her walk out of the auditorium. "The aggressive…?" he questioned as he followed her. "Yeah. You practically threw me up against the wall not just once, but _twice_ today." She said as she opened the door, holding it open behind her. "Right about here I think." She said just as he walked through the door and then she pushed him against the same spot that he had pushed her up against twice that day.

Arnold was so shocked that he dropped his bag, subconsciously noticing that Helga had thrown hers to the floor on purpose. Her hands were planted solidly next to his head, their roles reversed in this particular situation. "Now, this Arnold is the one I've known my whole life. Modest, shy, doesn't really know what to do in this sort of situation… The one I've been seeing through the most of this day isn't that Arnold so… what, are you bipolar or something?" she asked him and he gulped. "A-Aggressive?" he questioned again. "I… No one's ever… I-I'm not _aggressive_ around anyone else." He told her, his heart beating so hard that it was making it hard for him to talk properly.

"So… I'm the only one who can bring out Dark Arnold?" Helga asked almost proudly as she removed her hands from the wall. "Dark…?" Arnold questioned at first and then nodded sheepishly, unsure of what else to do. "Hm. Good to know." She hummed pensively before grabbing her bag and swinging it over her shoulder once more. "I like regular Arnold, but I also like Dark Arnold… he's sexy." She said with a predatory smirk before turning around and walking away. Arnold desperately tried to repeat what she had just called him, but he couldn't. Arnold had been called many things in his life; cute, stupid, dorky, sweet, kind, but never _sexy_.

"See you tomorrow, Football Head." Helga said with her usual joking tone before walking out. Arnold slumped against the wall and allowed his legs to give up and he fell to the floor gently. _She is killing me…_ He thought, his cheeks still heating up. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, only pushing a few times on the screen before putting it his ear. "Hey, Gerald. Do you have time today? I… seriously need to talk with you."

* * *

"So, man, you seemed really panicked on the phone. Also, mind I point out that this is the first time you've talked to me since you got into that play." Gerald said as he sat across from Arnold on his and Phoebe's king-sized bed. "I'm only in this play because you decided to pull a joke!" Arnold pointed out with a frown and Gerald smiled apologetically. "Yeah, sorry about that, but you're enjoying it, right?" he asked and Arnold sighed. "Yes, I do. It's really fun and everyone is so nice."

"All except for Helga I assume?"

"Uh… well, uh, you're sorta right."

"Only sorta? What, has the girl changed that much?"

"Not really… Not a lot at least."

"Is she giving you a hard time?"

"Oh, yeah. She's constantly breathing down my neck, pointing out every mistake I make as if the director isn't already doing that and she's… a really big distraction." Arnold half-confessed and coughed into his hand to avoid giving too much away already. He wanted to ease in on this; Gerald did tend to have quite dramatic reactions whenever Arnold talked about girls and Helga wasn't just a girl. She was _Helga Pataki_. "Doesn't sound like she's acting professional?" Gerald questioned and Arnold made a breathy laugh. "I'm not either… I'm letting my feelings control my body rather than my head." He admitted and Gerald cocked his head curiously to the side. "Is that what this is about?" he asked and Arnold looked at him. "That you and Helga are still exactly the same and somehow that surprises you?"

Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated for a moment. Not because he had changed his mind about telling Gerald, but because he wasn't sure which was the best way of approaching the subject. "Well… we _do_ fight a lot and it's those same… stupid, silly and childish fights that doesn't really have any purpose."

"Well, had you expected a friendship to suddenly grow between you?" Gerald asked with a snort and Arnold sighed. "_No_, and that's the problem…" Arnold muttered, which made Gerald's eyebrows connect in confusion. "Have you become… friends?" he almost hissed the last word with a bit of disgust on his face and Arnold bit at his lower lip. "Not… exactly." He said and his eyes started to dart around. "Helga and I, we, uh… I'm, uh… I'm starting to, uh - -

"Oh, my God! Please tell me you didn't sleep with her?!"

"No!" Arnold answered, his face beet red at the mere thought… which was honestly a rather nice one. "Oh, thank God!" Gerald exclaimed in appreciation and held a hand to his heart. "Because that would have given me a freaking heart attack!" he told him honestly, but then caught sight of Arnold's slightly flushed skin and he blinked in surprise. "What _have_ you been doing then?" he asked matter-of-factly, but his face was one of apprehension. "We… We've just been, uh… kissing a bit here and there…" He answered. "Well, you kiss in the play, right?" Gerald asked and Arnold nodded. "Yes, but… I'm talking about kissing away from the stage."

"… Today?"

"Today _and_ yesterday…"

"… Are you out of your _mind_?!" Gerald asked in such a high-pitched voice that Arnold for a moment wondered if any dogs outside would hear him. "Keep it down, will you?! Phoebe is home!" he told him in a scolding voice, but Gerald didn't seem to hear him. "You're a masochist, you know that, right? You always fall for girls who end up treating you like shit. This time you're just cutting the middle part. You _already_ know that this girl treats you like shit!" Gerald scolded and then fell onto the bed, almost as if too exhausted already. "She doesn't treat me like shit! All the time…" Arnold muttered and Gerald opened one eye to look at him. "You sure it's your bigger head talking right now?"

"Yes!" Arnold insisted with an embarrassed frown. Gerald sighed and sat up again. "Then what? Do you have, like… feelings for her or are you just sexually frustrated?" he asked and Arnold shook his head. "I have feelings for her and… I have to tell you that I, uh… I had feelings for her back when we were thirteen too." He admitted and Gerald shook his head in shock only to then freeze with his eyes wide open. "Say what now? Huh? When? Where? W-Why did I not know that?!" Gerald asked in anger and Arnold frowned again. "Because I knew you would react this way! Especially when we were kids! You've always been a drama queen!"

"You calling me queer?"

"No! I'm calling you dramatic!"

"That's almost the same thing!"

"No, it's not! I - - Oh, for crying out loud!" Arnold said in frustration and hid his face in his hands. "Wait. So… the reason you went all emo back when we were thirteen was because you were sad Helga had left? I thought you were so happy you didn't know how to react." Gerald said and Arnold shot him a slanted look. "Oh, yes. I was _so_ happy that I turned around and became _sad_. That makes a lot of sense." He said and Gerald frowned immaturely. "_You_ make a lot of sense…" He muttered and crossed his arms childishly. Arnold sighed and leaned back against the wall, earning Gerald's attention again. "So… what now?"

"I don't know… My feelings for Helga is affecting the play negatively."

"So what? The only reason you're in this play is because I was stupid enough to pull a joke."

"Well, now I'm committed. I'm partially responsible for the play as an actor. Also… it means a lot to Helga." Arnold said matter-of-factly or that is what he thought. To Gerald, who had known him his whole life, could hear and even _see_ the caring oozing out of Arnold with those words. "You… You really like her, don't you?" he asked and Arnold sighed as he shook his head. "No… I don't just like her, Gerald." He corrected and Gerald's eyes widened a bit. "Oh, man, you masochist… Not again." he said with a sigh and watched Arnold as he hid his face on his bend knees. _Well, shit…_ Gerald thought._ Here we go again._

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Don't ask me why I suddenly got quick again because I don't know! xD Don't get used to it because of school though :P I am gonna need time for homework too -.- Ugh, homework. The thing I missed the **_**least**_**.**

**Oh, and in case you guys may have forgotten: Helga has what is called ombré hair: she has her blonde natural hair, but the ends of it is dip dyed pink. I mentioned that in the first chapter, but she is still referred to as blonde of course :P I just wanted to explain it in case someone got confused by the statement: "the blonde girl shook her pink strands of hair" ;)**


	9. Eat my shorts

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Rather than the therapy exercises, Arnold's passionate moments with Helga beforehand had done more to help them get along. To their slight fear, the director chose to rehearse the fighting scene next, but to their relief David remained professional rather than letting his feelings get the better of him. Once the day was over, Helga realized that she had hurt David more than she had thought and confessed to Arnold how rotten she felt. Arnold accidentally told Helga that he knew Maria had feelings for David and Helga wasted no time before approaching Maria and offering her help.**_

_**After the very confusing goodbye, Arnold finally got to meet up with Gerald and talked to him about the recent events between himself and Helga. Gerald took it as expected: dramatically and with little to no understanding. He soon realized though that Arnold's feeling ran a little deeper than he first thought.**_

**Author's 1st note: Before you start reading please go to YouTube and search for "I'm no dream" from the movie Cool World and play it while reading the first part of this :3**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 9: "Eat my shorts"

This felt so familiar and yet so alien. Arnold was playing a game. A game he had known for many years, but it had never been this obvious who would be the winner at the end. He was standing on a stage with almost nothing else around him but darkness. Nothing to distract him from rehearsing for the play. Except for one teeny, tiny, itty-bitty thing… the blonde girl with the pink locks of hair dancing in front of him. She was wearing a red dress, cut in front of her thighs, showing off an indecent amount of leg as the sleeves of the dress kept sliding down her shoulders and she danced in a way that should be illegal.

Arnold knew he was supposed to remember something. Lines he was supposed to speak, actions he was supposed to perform, but his brain shut down and he was only capable of watching Helga in front of him, dancing like some sultry gypsy and her eyes never leaving his. Her face wasn't cold nor was it warm; it didn't show much emotion except for the hooded eyes that told him that she wanted him. She was just waiting for him to react, gauging his reaction to the way she moved her body. Her right hand slid from her left shoulder down in front of her stomach as she turned around her left hand joining the other as they went to their own hip. She kept turning around until she was facing him again, her hands now traveling up to just beneath her breasts until connecting in the middle and then going behind her neck to touch her hair.

Arnold was aroused within an inch of his life. He was practically glued to the floor or so he believed. He refused to move, refused to give into this temptation called Helga. Even if he couldn't remember all his lines, even if he couldn't be the right place at the right time, he would at least not give into this fire in his soul. He tried to swallow it; this feral need he felt spreading in his whole body, which refused him to show any mercy and let him at least attempt to look away. Her motions were small, but oh so very effective and he realized that the only thing holding him back was himself.

With that in mind, Arnold felt his feet move beneath, getting himself closer to the source of his desires. He wasn't quite there yet, when the last smidge of willpower he had held him back. She was within reach. All he had to do was hold out his hand and then he could touch her. He knew she would let him. Her eyes were pleading with him to touch her, to hold her, to kiss her. Then her hands moved towards him slowly, her hips swaying to the side as her fingers nimbly moved around as if enchanting him to come closer. He could feel the tips of her warm fingers touch his cheeks and just before he grabbed them, he sat up in his bed with a shriek.

The repetitive sound of his alarm was what had woken Arnold up from the dream and he groaned as he shut it off. "Not again…" he muttered, which he had done for every morning since two weeks ago. Ever since confessing his feelings for Helga to Gerald, he'd been having this dream. The first time he had been so flustered whenever he saw Helga that she started looking at him as if he had grown a second head or something. They hadn't kissed each other since that day. Well, except on the stage, but that was not the same thing though he was starting to feel more and more whenever he kissed her, even artificially. It was getting harder not to kiss her for longer than he was supposed to or _improvise_ during the kisses.

Arnold connected his thighs and groaned at the familiar feeling in his groin. He'd had morning wood before in his life, of course he had, but not two whole weeks in a row! It was getting ridiculous and to be honest… it slowed down his mornings! He managed to force his body to calm down with a cold shower… a _very_ cold shower. Helga flashed through his mind again, her hands again traveling up over her torso and - - "Oh, _crap_." Arnold hissed and scrubbed the shampoo more furiously into his hair.

* * *

Once Arnold was in front of the door to the auditorium, he paused. _Calm down. This is getting really… shameful._ He told himself, inhaled sharply and then walked inside only to then hear an unwanted and yet _very_ welcome voice behind him. "Hey ya, Football Head." Helga greeted and he flinched so much that the door closed behind his back as he turned around. She would usually quirk an eyebrow at this reaction, but he had been doing that for the past fourteen days so she had gotten used to it… that didn't mean that she was ready to accept it without knowing _why_ though. He had refused to tell her of course, claiming absolutely nothing was wrong and that he was just feeling a little odd. Well, he had been feeling a little odd for the last half month and she wanted to know why.

"H-H-Hi, Helga. Good morning!" Arnold said in a high-pitched voice and he wanted to smack himself after hearing that come out of his own mouth. Helga blinked in slight surprise, but then frowned. She shoved her hand into her pocket and looked at the clock on her phone. "We have about ten minutes." She stated before putting the phone back into her pocket. "T-To do what?" he asked, his mind going straight down the gutter. To his luck, she didn't seem to notice as she grabbed his collar and put her face dangerously close to his. "We need to talk." She stated before pulling him away from the door and towards the lobby. In the lobby was a bar and behind that bar was a door to a kitchen and that's where she dragged him in. Naturally, no one was working out there right now so when she shoved him towards the kitchen desk, he didn't hit anything else than the desk.

Arnold felt like a field mouse being stalked by a lion as Helga crossed her arms, her eyes holding a different sort of fire than what he desired in his dreams… though not that different since even her anger tend to sit his insides ablaze in a very comfortable way. "What's been with you lately? I think I've been very thoughtful and waited patiently for you to either come around or fess up, but time's up." She told him with no room for argument. "So come on, Football Head. What's been on your mind?" she asked with a smidge of concern in her voice as she stepped closer. _Within reach…_ Arnold observed like in his dream. He gazed at her for a moment, his heart speeding up at all the thoughts roaming around in his head at having her so close. Before he could question his actions, he leaned forward with a gasp, as if he was surprised by his own actions, and kissed her.

Arnold heard Helga whimper in slight surprise, but she didn't move an inch. She didn't even un-cross her arms as she kept staring at his closed eye-lids, barely comprehending what was happening. If she was completely honest, she had been waiting for this to happen again as well. She wasn't sure what the real reason for the lack of intimacy had been. Maybe it was the fact that she had been too busy trying to get Maria and David together. Maybe it was because Arnold had tried to stay away from her, which she now kind of knew the reason for, or maybe it was because the director had been working them like dogs, giving them no pauses, the twenty-minute lunch break around noon being the exception.

Arnold moved back reluctantly with a small gulp, his eyes opening slowly to gauge Helga's reaction. She blinked a couple of times slowly, her lips a little puckered from the kiss. "Oh." She said in a soft, almost inaudible voice as realization kicked in. "That…" she continued from her former question before leaning towards him and capturing his lips in a kiss again. Unlike their former kisses, this one was gentle, perhaps even tender. It was as if they had missed each other, it felt like coming home after a long day. Arnold felt Helga touch his chest as her hands slid up to his shoulders, her fingers digging into them. He exhaled at the wondrous feeling of her hands on him and he suddenly felt her back against his hands. They had apparently moved on their own.

Arnold's hand went between Helga's shoulder blades, unconsciously pulling her closer to him. He felt her arms colliding with his chest before she moved them over his shoulder, letting them rest there. She felt his hand going to her scalp, his fingers massaging her skin there for a moment before pulling gently at the locks. It was smooth like silk and felt so good against his calloused hand and the shaky moan that emitted from her mouth made him shiver. He pulled his head back from the kiss and watched Helga's face as his fingers twisted through her hair again, making sure to get a better grip on her hair this time and pulling back the same way he had done before. She mewled at the feeling, her breasts jerking into his chest shakily.

It was perhaps the most erotic thing Arnold had ever seen. Helga, his childhood bully known for her iron fists, had a soft spot for having her hair caressed; her face was practically twitching with pleasure. Arnold's mouth met the soft flesh on her jaw and her long fingers went to his shoulders again in a desperate attempt at keeping herself standing up on two legs. While his mouth placed butterfly kissed on her jaw and her throat, his hand kept caressing, tugging and massaging her scalp. He was determined to drive her crazy even if it meant she's try to do the same.

Helga didn't seem like she was anywhere close to wanting revenge; she was too occupied with all the different feelings soaring through her right then. She was holding onto Arnold's shoulder and even the back of his head desperately, feeling her pelvis start to buck spontaneously against his. He groaned against her throat before turning them around so that she was against the desk rather than him. She gasped in delight when she felt his tongue tease her lip, her own mouth opening in a welcoming manner. Their tongues touched and Helga put her hands on his cheeks to get him closer, her jaw rolling to force his mouth further open. He blinked in surprise at her sudden dominance, but it was more than welcome. He himself was starting to feel a little weak in his knees, so it was good that she could be strong.

At the force from Helga's hands pulling him closer, Arnold's hands landed on the front of her hips. A whimper escaped her mouth and her kissing ceased for a moment in surprise at the feeling of his fingertips on her naked hipbone. She was wearing one of her usual hoodies, but it had crept up her stomach from their grinding. Arnold's hands started to feel itchy; her skin was so warm against his fingers and he couldn't help but want to feel it against his palms too. In fact, he was feeling it against his palm now since his hands had moved up on their own. He observed Helga's face while his hands moved, waiting for her to tell him no or give him the good to go. She was breathing hard in anticipation and then shut her eyes tight once he reached the first ribs. Her mouth landed at the nape of his neck, desperate for something to latch onto and he grunted at the delicious pain that shot through him when she bit down.

Helga's breath tickled Arnold's neck as he eased up towards her breasts, loving the feeling of her soft, warm skin that prickled his fingers. His exhaled his breath into the shell of her ear and felt her whole body shiver as he let his fingers glide to the side, touching her sides before easing up again. "_Damn it_, Arnold!" Helga scolded in a hiss and he had to hold back a chuckle. It was elating to hear her so desperate for him to touch her and his hands finally ascended in a swift motion. Just as he felt the tips of his fingers meet resistance, the sound of several voices echoed in his ears. In the midst of the pleasure, he simply strained his ears to listen as he froze.

"Oh, for fuck's sakes…" Helga hissed angrily and leaned backwards, Arnold's hands automatically falling away from her stomach. Arnold bit at his lower lip as he shut his eyes tight, cursing on the inside, but wanting to do it on the outside like she had. He opened his eyes and met hers, a magnet that felt like longing and frustration pulling him to kiss her again. She moaned into the kiss, held her hand to his cheek to deepen it for a moment before they reluctantly pulled apart. They gave each other one last glance and then walked towards the door.

"Hold on." Helga said, cutting through the silence as she grabbed his arm. Arnold turned around, partially expecting her to kiss him again until he saw her expression. "I'll stay here for a minute." She told him and let go of his arm. He quirked an eyebrow at her statement. "Why?" he asked in incredulity. "Gee, Arnold. If this had been an affair, my husband would be beating you up right about now." She told him sarcastically and he flushed at the statement. "What if someone saw us walking out of here together; what would be their first thought?"

"Oh." Arnold hummed in realization and turned around with his face still a little flushed from their former ministrations and her words afterwards. He stepped out of the room only to be met with the sight of David and Maria about to walk into the auditorium. "Good morning, Arnold." Maria greeted with a big smile, but it turned into a confused frown when she noticed where he had just appeared from. "Feeling peckish?" she teased with an eyebrow arched. "Oh, uh, yeah." He answered, happy that Maria unknowingly offered an excuse. "I don't think they have food in their storage at the moment, Arnold." David pointed out with a suspicious grin. "And now I have confirmed that." Arnold said with a sudden confidence in his ability to lie. His fellow actors laughed at his comment before he followed them into the auditorium.

* * *

"I feel a little stupid…" Arnold muttered, unconsciously loud enough for the dance captain, Ludmilla, to hear him. They were all currently stretching, which wasn't unusual, but today Ludmilla had decided to kick it up a notch. Therefore, they were all currently attempting to cross their legs and not in the regular crisscross way, but more in the yoga-like way. Most of the girls could do it, Helga included. Most of the boys could as well and Arnold, along with a few other boys, could only get one foot up on the opposite thigh.

"If you feel stupid, Arnold, it means you're doing it right." Ludmilla responded to Arnold's comment. Arnold was about to question her logic until Helga's voice caught his attention. "He feels stupid all the time so how's he supposed to know?" she wondered aloud with a smirk. Arnold shot her a slanted look, but she made that teasing, repetitive click with her tongue again, something he had noticed she did whenever she was teasing him with good intentions. He smirked and shook his head in amusement, barely noticing how a few people around them sighed in relief.

"Now, everyone. Please listen up." The director said and while everyone did indeed pay attention, no one took their eyes from Ludmilla nor stopped their motions as she spread her legs and went into a split. "Are you kidding me?" Arnold muttered under his breath, noticing Helga snickering for a second as she went elegantly into the same position as Ludmilla. "Are you made out of rubber?!" he hissed in a low voice and she turned to wink at him for good measure. "I am thinking of adding some lines to some of the other girls." The director continued and instantly all the girls' heads lifted up to look at him. Helga leaned closer to Arnold though. "Yeah, this is how you get everyone to pay attention." She muttered sarcastically and he snickered with her.

While the girls, on the request of the director, went to talk to him about the new lines, Helga and the boys stayed with Ludmilla. "Arms and left leg behind your back." She instructed before demonstrating. Helga did it with ease; she lifted her arms above her head, her leg behind her back as high up as she could get it so that her hands could wrap around her foot. She had the same shape of a P, Arnold noticed as he attempted to do the same. She chuckled at the awkward way his body moved. "Try this one for a start." She suggested and let her arms fall only to then move the right one behind her back and grabbing her foot again. Arnold copied her. "See?" she teased good-heartedly before resuming the real position. "Boy, for an old karate student, you sure aren't flexible." She observed and he frowned at her in embarrassment. "Yeah, well. When you don't do karate for this many years, you forget things." He retorted.

Arnold felt Helga's eyes study him for a moment before she let her foot fall to the floor and she stepped in front of him. "What the mind forgets, the body remembers." She told him and he put his foot down to question her words, but then she suddenly swung around and lifted her leg. Arnold barely had time to comprehend that she was about to kick him before he crouched to avoid her attack. What happened afterwards looked like something out of a karate movie and no one around them could describe what they had just seen. It went by in a flash and it wasn't until Helga was leaned way backwards as if about to limbo under an invisible stick and Arnold had himself positioned above her with his arms bend in a way that made him look like something from a karate movie that anyone could follow what was in front of them.

Helga smirked as both she and Arnold breathed hard. "See? What the mind forgets, the body remembers." She reminded him again before letting her hand fall backwards and onto the floor in order to hold her up. Before he could react, she lifted her legs off the ground and made a backflip until she was standing up again. Arnold was stunned. "When did you learn that?" he asked as she approached him again, getting back to her usual spot during the exercising. "What; the half-hearted backflip? That's not really anything special. I can do a proper one standing up." She told him, but he shook his head. "Karate." He corrected and she hummed in realization. "I was one of the minions for the bad guy in a play with karate in it." she told him with a shrug before spreading her legs like Ludmilla and putting her hands around her ankles, thereby letting her chest touch her knees.

Arnold went behind her and leaned to the side to capture her eyes. "You're amazing, you know that?" he asked her and he could have sworn he saw her face go expressionless, but flushed for a moment. He kept smiling at her and she started doing the same. "Yeah, well. I'm a pretty amazing person, Football Head." She said with a somewhat simulated voice and he recognized her words. He didn't think she'd actually quote something she said back at FTI. He shook his head in amusement before he went back to his spot and copied Ludmilla like Helga did.

"Can I take over again, Ludmilla?" the vocalist named Kimberly asked kindly. "Sure. I'm pooped anyway." Ludmilla said before descending the stage. "Ok, guys. We already warmed up our voices so I'm thinking we should try to sing a song together from a different musical. Any suggestions?" she asked as the director let the girls go and they barely managed to hear her. She automatically looked towards Helga, who rolled her eyes; Kimberly really had taken a bit too much of a shine to her. "Um… _Cell block tango_?" Helga suggested and Kimberly clapped her hands in agreement while the girls hummed in excitement.

"_Cell block tango_?" Arnold repeated as the girls got onto the stage again. "Isn't that the song about women who has killed their men?" he asked, barely remembering what the rest of the play was about; he only knew that particular song. "Yep." Damon answered and nodded, his expression somewhat fearful. "Should we be worried?" Arnold asked sarcastically and Damon laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Arnold." Helga told him and he turned to look at her. "You'd be the one to fix _me_ a drink to begin with." She told him and he frowned in confusion. "It's a reference to the song." David whispered next to him. "Oh…" Arnold muttered and then stuck his tongue out at Helga who just giggled at his childish reaction.

The girls sung the song perfectly, while some of the boys lagged behind. They didn't know the lyrics quite as well as the girls obviously did and they got really into character too. Once the song was over, David couldn't help himself: "Where did I go wrong in training my whores?" he questioned and the girls laughed. "Oh, we are still your willing slaves." Maria teased and approached him before bowing dramatically for him. "Yeah! That's more like it! Bow for your pimp!" David ordered with a big grin and the girls did as told. All except for Helga, Arnold noticed. "Bow for your pimp, Helga!" David ordered in an artificially angry voice. She turned to look at him, only to put her thumbs to her temples, the rest of her fingers wiggling and then blowing a rather taunting raspberry at him.

David gasp in fake shock and Arnold couldn't help but laugh at the silly face Helga was making. "Don't you dare disrespect our pimp!" Maria bellowed dramatically and approached Helga. "What'cha gonna do about it, squirt?" Helga asked with a gangster-like voice and stepped forward until she and Maria were nose-to-nose. "I'm gonna kick your ass!" Maria said with a sneer. "As if you could; I'll wrap your tongue around your neck before you get the chance." Helga retorted and Maria gasped exaggeratedly. "Don't you dare! My pimp will protect me!" she declared and pointed towards David.

"Hell no!" David answered and they looked questioningly at him. "I vote for bitch fight!" he declared. The two girls turned their eyes to look at each other and then looked back at David. "You pervert!" they announced loudly and everyone broke into a fit of laughter; including the _pervert_. "All right, everybody. Time to get serious again." the director said firmly, but with a smile on his face. "In fact, along with new lines for the other prostitutes, Arnold and Helga will be getting a new song." He continued, but Helga looked anything else but happy. "_What_?! A new song _now_?! But the premiere is - - "

"Yes, I'm aware, Helga. The premiere is rather close, but this was sent to me last night by the writer. Apparently, a young talent sent him this song, hoping he'd may like it and he does. _Very much_ so it's going to be a part of the play." The director said and handed both Arnold and Helga a piece of paper each. "It's a duet just for the two of you called _I hate you_." he told them as they started reading the text. Arnold blinked at the words in his own lines. "_Every time I end up breaking you, you change into something worth keeping… You're everything I ever wanted, but it's never enough… I love it even more when I find you on the floor… _This is… uh…" he muttered at the sentences he had randomly picked out and turned to look at Helga whose eyebrows were knitted together in a mix of frustration and confusion. She felt his eyes on him and she looked back. "It's pretty… deep." She continued for him and they looked at the director. "Where is this song supposed to take place?"

"Ah, the writer was unsure of that too so he thought it should be up to the two of you. He's aware that it's kind of last notice so he thought he should let you decide that." the director explained and Helga skimmed over her own lines again. "_I'm so ashamed of what I did to you… You were too much, way too much… I'll take whatever I can take whenever I can take it if it ever comes…_ Jesus, this young talent knows his angsty love, but… it's very much last notice." Helga said as she waved the paper in her hand as if it was far heavier than it was in reality. "And I apologize for that. I believe it would be best if you two practiced this song on your own after practice as well." He told them, which made their eyes bulge for a moment. "There's some choreography involved as well, which I already have Ludmilla working on, but it's mostly the song you need to practice. Kimberly will go through it with you."

"Y-Yes, sir…" Arnold mumbled and looked pleadingly at Helga. She sighed and nodded. "Fine." She said and looked back at Arnold. "We'll also practice on our own in our free time." She said to the director and went towards Kimberly. Arnold followed her swiftly, silently wondering if she had meant on their _own_ or together. He scanned the paper again, attempting to read the notes over each word, but he didn't understand them. "Helga, you read notes?" he asked in a low voice as he followed her. "Huh? Yeah. Why?" she asked and he sighed. "I can't." he told her and she quirked an eyebrow. "I knew that, Arnold, but you don't need to. Kimberly will coach us and I'll help you too." She said and looked where she was going again. "Yeah?" he inquired a little hopefully and she snorted. "Well, _doi_."

* * *

"Let's… try again." Kimberly said with as much patience in her voice as she could muster. Helga did little to nothing to hide her frustration with Arnold on her face, but she said nothing. She had promised to help him, but that was before she found out how bad he was. He exhaled slowly, not blind to the unsatisfied women around him. "Y-Yes…" he muttered and lifted the paper to look at the lyrics again. Helga listened to him as he sang. He was so focused on remembering the lyrics that there was absolutely no emotion in his voice and he sounded like a malfunctioning robot. "Please, hold the enthusiasm…" Helga muttered sarcastically under her breath and Arnold stopped singing and sighed. "Helga, help me if you're so smart." He told her and she looked at him with a sneer. "Distinction without a difference."

"So you're saying I'm hopeless?"

"Hopeless, useless, call it whatever you want!"

"Stop!" Kimberly barked and the two blondes turned to look at her. "Helga, I understand your frustration. Having to learn a new song on this short notice I can understand must be out of your comfort zone." She said calmly. "As soon as things don't go after her head, it's out of her comfort zone." Arnold couldn't help but hiss and Helga gave him a glare, but said nothing before Kimberly interfered. "But, Arnold, you really need to try a little harder. I understand you're not professional, but there's absolutely no emotion in your voice. Your voice, to be frank, sounds like there's no mind or soul behind it." she told him gently. "A sound he has learned from his former girlfriends." Helga jeered and Arnold growled in frustration.

"This may sound unbelievably unprofessional and it's perhaps none of my business, but you two really need to find a room." Kimberly said before standing up from the piano. Arnold and Helga looked at her in absolute horror. "What?!" they exclaimed and Kimberly shook her head in amusement. "I've seen many actors come and go and sometimes feelings get in the way of the play. In your situation, your sexual chemistry is so strong and you are trying so desperately to hold back that you're lashing out at each other. Take my advice; get the sexual frustration out and then you'll be able to perform without spitting venom at each other."

Arnold and Helga looked at each other in shock. "You mean…" Arnold started. "You're telling us to…" Helga continued. "To have sex, boink each other, screw your brains out. I don't care what you call it. Just do it! The sooner you _do_ each other the sooner you can _do_ the play." Kimberly explained and Helga put on a face of disgust, but it was only to hide the face beneath that, which was so flushed with embarrassment that she thought she'd might have a heart attack. "You're right!" she said and stood up, barely noticing how Arnold was looking at her with big eyes due to her statement. "That _is_ unprofessional!"

Kimberly sighed disappointedly at Helga's outburst and shook her head in surrender. "Fine, but I'm telling you; continue the way you both are now and this play is doomed." She told them, grabbed her sheets of music and left them alone. Helga was breathing so hard that it physically hurt. "What the hell! That woman is absolutely insane! Who tells people something like that?! I'm… I'm… I'm speechless!" she announced dramatically and heard Arnold standing up. "And yet you're still talking."

Helga turned her head and blinked a couple of times, clearly doing her best to not start yelling at him. "Oh, eat my shorts, Shortman!" she finally told him and turned her back to him to walk away. "I just _might_." Arnold hissed behind her and she stopped dead in her tracks. _Wha - - _She didn't finish her thought as she turned around, only to see him walking away. Unbeknownst to her, he had turned around as soon as he understood the subtext in what he had just said. _What did you just say?! What did you just say to Helga Pataki?! You might just eat her shorts; what were you thinking?! Oh, right. Nothing!_ He thought. His face was so red that a tomato would be ashamed in his presence as he walked towards the restrooms, locked the door behind him and fell against it. He screamed inside his head in frustration and let the back of his head bang against the door._ Oh, this will blow up in my face… and after it blows up in my face, it will then circle around and bite me in the ass! That's me; no face and no ass and - - oh, my God, listen to me! I've officially lost my mind and… and Helga is holding my brain in her hand…_ He shook his head at his own thoughts and then lifted his head to look up. "I don't even know what that means!"

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: I don't know what it means either, Arnold and I wrote it! xD**

**Song:**

**Sick Puppies – "I hate you"**


	10. It's just acting

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Two weeks after Arnold and Helga's kisses outside the stage, Arnold still had dreams of Helga. Helga started noticing his odd behavior and a confrontation turned into yet another passionate kiss between them there was interrupted yet again.**_

_**While most would say Arnold and Helga have improved their relationship and are much more comfortable with each other, sparks of not just lust but also anger still flashed between them. When the director told them that a new song between them was to be added into the play, Helga's frustration and pressure from having to learn a new song on such short notice turned into another lashing at Arnold, who was ready to lash back.**_

_**Kimberly, the vocalist, has watched this and suggested that they needed to get the palpable sexual tension between them out in the open in order to get it away. A not so well-thought comment from Arnold ended another fight between him and Helga and he stormed off in embarrassment.**_

**Author's 1st note: WARNING: The first **_**scene**_** that they are performing in the play in this chapter deals with sexual abuse. It's of course acting and therefore not real, but it is described in a way so that there's no questioning what's happening. If you're uncomfortable with that then skip from the sixth paragraph and start at the twelfth paragraph again.**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 10: "It's just acting"

Neither of the blondes had expected to be confronted by the other on the same day. Not at the same time, naturally, but nevertheless on the same day. It had started out as a regular day with muscle and vocal exercises first and then going through most of the scenes in the play. There were still a few scenes though the director had deliberately avoided due to Helga and Arnold's on-going fights. Because Arnold hadn't been in the play from the beginning, he had focused only on the scenes he was a part of. Therefore, he had no knowledge of several scenes and so when the director declared that they would take the scene after the fight, he was seated with excitement at the front row. He had absolutely no idea what was supposed to happen between Adrasteia and the pimp in the scene so he was gung-ho on trying to remember as much as possible. The dynamic between Helga and David was amazing when they were on stage and he sometimes felt a little jealous of their acting skills, but he also admired them.

"All right. David, Helga, you remember your lines?" the director asked and they both nodded. David had his arm around Helga's stomach, the same way he would have in the former scene where he would carry Adrasteia away from the passed out Aiden on the dance floor. "Good. Be careful with your actions. It's the first time you're rehearsing this with an audience so focus on the emotions as well, but _don't_ hurt each other, understood?" the director asked and they nodded again. _Hurt each other?_ Arnold questioned in his head and frowned. He silently wondered how violent this scene would be when the director told them to inhale deeply. They did in unison and then exhaled at the director's order. "Start!"

The pimp lifted Adrasteia off the floor, her feet kicking in desperation of getting down as she yelled profanities at him. Without any hesitation, he threw her to the floor and loomed over her. She barely managed to turn around on her back before his hands were around her neck, choking her. "What did I tell you?!" he asked angrily as her hands went to his wrists in an attempt at getting them off her throat. After hissing for a moment, he let go and she turned around on her stomach, her breath hitching desperately. "I…" she started, but then coughed again. "I did _not_ ask him to come here!" she insisted, but that only made him angrier. He grabbed her by her hair and she squealed in pain, but didn't try to pry her hair away from his hand. "You have been meeting with this man outside the brothel, haven't you?" he asked her and then let go of her hair. She fell to the palms of her hands, her arms visibly shaking, but she didn't say a word.

The pimp loomed over Adrasteia, a dangerous look on his face. "I'll slaughter him." He said in a hiss, but his face was expressionless. Her eyes went wide. "No, please!" she begged before she could stop herself and didn't realize her mistake until she saw his face. "If your silence hadn't been answer enough, your outburst right now was." He stated and started to walk towards her. She slithered backwards, trying to get herself standing up, but she had only gotten halfway there when he grabbed her wrists and banged her up against the wall. She shrieked at the pain, but she looked at him in defiance. He had never physically touched her like this before, despite common belief. His abuse had only been verbal, but she had a churning feeling in her stomach that it was going to be everything _and_ verbal this time.

"You belong to me." He hissed in Adrasteia's ear and she turned her face away from him. "No…" she said for the first time in her life. "No?" he questioned with a smirk. She inhaled and looked at him. "_No_, I don't belong to you. Didn't you say I belonged to the world? To every man who wanted me? Well, Aiden wants me… more than anyone else does. Therefore, I belong with him." She told him, her eyes shimmering with a willpower he had never seen before. He observed her for a moment, eyeing her for a long, tense moment before he smiled. She gasped when he connected her hands, thereby holding them up above her head with the strength of only one of his own. "Looks like I need to remind you that you are not your own." He said and while she felt fear, she showed none.

Adrasteia closed her eyes, closed her mind as she felt his hand touch her leg. His hand roamed around her for a long, agonizing, but acceptable moment before he suddenly growled and swung her around, surprising her enough to shriek as she fell onto her hands and knees in front of him. "I have taught you this before, Arch _your back_." He said and she felt his foot step down on her back, forcing it into a curve. Her face twisted in the pain, but she didn't make a sound. She felt him behind her, his thighs touching hers and his hands on her hips. She held her tongue as his chest leaned over her back and he talked into her ear. "Come on… Scream. Beg this… Aiden to come and save you."

First, his statement confused Adrasteia, but then her eyes went wide with realization. He wanted her to scream, he wanted to see her in pain, to see her break under him. She then made a low snort and looked at him, seeing his confused expression. "I am _never_ going to scream for help… not because of you." she told him, feeling his seething rage explode within him. "We'll see about that." he said in determination, grabbed her thighs and spread her legs around his own. She hissed in surprise, but it was only her face that showed any sign of the pain she felt the moment, he lifted her skirt and did this vulgar deed to her many men had done before. She refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her put her agony into words or even sounds. She was quiet as the grave when he moved, only her face showing disgust from time to time.

"Scream!" he ordered before putting his hand to her head and pushing it down against the floor. She gasped for a mere second, her hands shaking in an attempt at getting herself up again, but she did nothing else as he continued. She could feel him going frustrated with her, his motions becoming rigid and harsh, but she stood her ground. He had used her for so many years; he'd had his way with her body and her mind for her whole life. There was _no way_ she would give him this last satisfaction. This had been done too many times to her for it to even matter. It only mattered when Aiden had held her; she had felt loved, she had felt wanted in a way she hadn't before and everything else dulled in comparison.

Adrasteia heard him growl above her and suddenly the stinging pain disappeared. For a mere second, she thought it was over. Maybe he had given up, maybe he'd had enough of her and would just throw her out and she could run to Aiden. That wasn't it. The moment he disappeared from her, she felt his hands turn her around, her back hitting the floor and her head falling off the stage. _Ow!_ Helga thought for a moment as the pain started to dig into the back of her skull. Her face was shown to the audience in this ungraceful upside-down position, but she knew it was a powerful way to convey the scene, so she ignored the stabbing pain and gasped shortly as she was supposed to.

"Come on, Adrasteia. It would take so little to have me stop. Just beg me to." He told her, his face looming over her like a dark shadow. Adrasteia's face was still expressionless though even as the stretching feeling appeared in her again. All the reaction he got was her spitting into his face. In the back of her mind, she regretted that action because in the same moment, one of his hands pressed down on her throat painfully, but not enough to kill her. Her head was forced back and she felt her back scratch against the wooden floor. Her face was hard, cold, her breath and his grunts the only sounds surrounding them.

Then mercy came; he had reached his limits and with a finally blow to her stomach in the shape of a fist, he let her go. Adrasteia choked for a second, gasping for breath as she coughed and shook from the pain. "You will regret your disobedience, Adrasteia… There are other ways to break you." he told her and then left her lying there as he disappeared out of the room. She could feel herself get dizzy from the blood rushing to her head and her arms shook as they moved. She felt her wrist fall down the same way her head did and felt her whole body go numb and her face dead and cold. Her insides were anything but dead though; she could feel the stabbing pain, the shame and the guilt flooding through her and it took all of her strength to make one solid cry before she passed out.

"Thank you, David and Helga. That was very powerful." The director complimented and clapped along with the rest of the actors, Arnold being the exception. His face was frozen, his eyes wide in horror and Helga didn't even get to turn around and stand up before he ran out of the room. The director barely noticed Arnold leaving as he approached Helga and David who had just gotten back on the stage. Helga watched as Arnold ran out of the auditorium and she barely noticed that David was offering her his hand. She heard him cough behind her and she finally took his hand and let him help her stand up. The director kept complimenting them as David let go of Helga's hand, but she kept looking at the door where Arnold had disappeared. Once the director declared they would take a break though, she jumped off the stage and went out of the auditorium.

Helga didn't need to look for Arnold for long; she heard him. Some choked sounds, sounds anyone could recognize ricocheted from the co-ed restroom. She walked towards the door and opened it slowly and what she saw was what she had expected; Arnold was hunched over the sink, currently vomiting whatever he had eaten for breakfast and perhaps even for dinner the night before. He didn't hear her come in and he therefore flinched when his hair was removed from his face. He looked up and into the mirror in front of him, seeing Helga's face in the reflection. "Your hair may not be my length, but it can still get vomit in it." she explained and he felt something more emit from his throat.

A minute later, Arnold finally lifted his head, his face a dangerous shade of green. "Criminy." Helga muttered and went to grab some tissues. She put them forcefully into his hand and then turned on the cold water. Once the puke was gone, she told him to drink. He leaned forward, his legs a little wobbly, but Helga's hand on his back steadied him. He drank as much as he could and then put the tissues to his mouth. Not just one, but all of them. In his hazy mind, he wasn't aware of how many tissues he had in his hand.

Arnold turned around, leaning back against the sink. "Sit down instead." Helga told him and dragged him towards the wall. With her support, he did as told. She sat down next to him with her hand on his knee, her thumb caressing him soothingly. He kept the tissues to his mouth and turned to look at her, hoping his face was showing the appreciation he was feeling. If her smile was anything to go by, his actions had been understood. They sat there in silence as Arnold calmed down and his face turned back into the healthy, creamy color again. He threw the tissues into the trashcan next to him and leaned his head back against the wall.

"You ok?" Helga asked with little to no concern in her voice, but her thumb kept caressing Arnold's knee as she did so. "I guess… I didn't, uh… expect that." he answered. "Your reaction or the scene?" she asked with a bit of humor in her voice. "The scene… That was… hard to watch." He admitted and she chuckled. "Too much for the kind-hearted Arnold?" she questioned with a small smile. "It wasn't just that." he responded and she looked up at him. "Then what?" she asked and he turned to look at her as well. He didn't need to answer; she could see the answer in his expression.

Helga scooted closer to Arnold, her hand disappearing from his knee and went to his head instead. He let her move his head until it was on her shoulder and he felt her cheek at the top of his head. Her hand was caressing his temple and his hair soothingly, almost as if trying to comfort him. He could feel his heart speed up; this wasn't a Helga he had met before; gentle, sweet, concerned. Even back when he found out his parents were dead, her way of getting him back on his feet had been a little mean. It had worked, but he preferred this way of being comforted. He let his nose nuzzle her neck and she jolted for a moment at the ticklish feeling. It was such a foreign moment, but they both really liked it.

"It's just acting, Arnold." Helga told him in a small voice and he opened his eyes. "It looked too real…" He countered and he felt her chest jump as she snickered. "So you're telling me I'm a good actress?" she asked and he frowned childishly. "_Too_ good." He countered and felt her snickering again. The sound vibrated against his ear since his head had now fallen to her chest and he blushed at the feeling. He inhaled her scent and he noticed a hint of vanilla. She made a low, high-pitched sound when he exhaled and he looked up at her. "That tickles, you know." She pointed out and he apologized before putting his head back on his new favorite pillow.

"Has throwing up made you woozy?" Helga asked with a chuckle as Arnold nuzzled against her chest again. "I think so… but I'm also just tired. I haven't been sleeping well recently…" He muttered against her bare skin and she did her best to ignore the ticklish feeling. "Really? Why?" she asked with shaky concern in her voice, their proximity suddenly dawning on her. "Um… I've been dreaming a lot…" He answered absentmindedly and she looked down at him in curiosity. "About what?" she asked and she felt his eyelashes move, telling her he had opened his eyes. "Uh… Just, uh… The usual." He answered and then suddenly laid his arm over her stomach, half holding her in a sideways hug.

Helga jumped at the sudden motion, her free hand automatically falling to Arnold's arm while the other stayed on his head. "Whoa, what is with Mr. Cuddly all of a sudden?" she asked sarcastically, her voice a little nervous. Arnold wasn't deaf to her jumpiness, but he really did feel a little faint from the throwing up. Usually a person would feel better after puking, but Arnold tended to get tired instead. It usually took him some minutes before he was fully awake again. He simply snuggled closer to her, eventually falling onto her lap. She tensed at that and looked around as if she was expecting someone to catch her in such an embarrassing position at any moment.

"Arnold, we need to get back." Helga pointed out, hoping her cheeks were simply hot and not hot _and_ flushed red. Arnold made a disapproving sound, but then moved to sit up again. To Helga's unhappiness, his eyes widened at what she assumed was her blushing cheeks. She bit at the flesh inside her mouth in embarrassment when he suddenly leaned forward. Before he could kiss her, she lifted her hand and covered his mouth with it. "Arnold!" she scolded and he opened his eyes in surprise. "You just _puked_." She reminded him and he seemed to remember as well. When she removed her hand, he looked away in embarrassment. "S-Sorry…" he mumbled and she couldn't help but feel a little bad for him.

Then Helga did something Arnold definitely hadn't expected. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. It was silly really; compared to everything else they had already done, one would think that a kiss on cheek wouldn't be a big deal… but it made his heart stop altogether. It was so affectionate, so sweet and so unexpected that when his heart suddenly started beating again, it almost hurt against his ribcage at how hard it was beating. He felt her moist lips leave his cheek and he turned to watch as she stood up. Much like him, she was also shy because of the gentle gesture and it didn't help when she offered her hand. He took it, tentatively and yet without hesitation and let her help him up. She dragged him with her, her steps fast and furious, but her hand holding his softly.

* * *

About two hours went by and it was almost time to end the day. "Ok, everybody. Before we go home for the day, let's take Aiden's death scene and Adrasteia finding him before _I want my innocence back_ comes on. We'll take that one tomorrow." The director said and they all nodded in agreement. They had taken this scene before. The pimp would have Aiden killed by a couple of thugs and the scene would switch to Adrasteia waking up from the pimp's former ministrations. She would run away to find Aiden, but would instead find him dead in an alleyway. The song would play and she would run off. It was an easy scene, Helga believed. No hard lines and the music did more to make the mood than the actors had to. It should have been easy per usual at least. Sure, it had been a couple of weeks since the last time they went through it this thoroughly, but it should have gone by as usual. Helga had never had any problems with scene… but things had changed since a couple weeks ago.

Helga was standing backstage, chatting with some of the girls while listening halfheartedly to the music on the stage. She imagined Aiden getting beaten up out in what was supposed to be the street and when the signal in the music rang, she stepped onto the floor, still out of sight from anyone else. She placed herself on the part of the floor that moved and once she was lying down on her back, she sprawled unceremoniously and felt the wood beneath her move in a jolt. She went through her few lines in her head for a moment and then felt the floor stop beneath her.

Adrasteia slowly opened her eyes, pain still shooting through her spine. Shakily, she turned onto her stomach, her palms attempting to help her standing up. She fell back down at first, but then got onto her wobbly legs and looked around. She went to grab a post, hoping to hold herself steady until her dizziness would fade. Helga heard the music in the background, listening to every slow, tense beat and remembering with ease when she was supposed to start walking. When she did, Adrasteia hissed in pain from time to time, looking around in the club for Aiden. She didn't call his name, she didn't dare, and simply walked out of the club and onto the streets.

Adrasteia looked around. The streets were empty, it was 4am after all. Even the club was slowly closing behind her. She kept walking around, the dull music from the nightclub magically turning louder despite her walking away from it. She felt her knees give in for a moment and she grabbed the corner of the wall next to her. She turned to look inside the alleyway for no apparent reason; she just felt the need to. Adrasteia frowned and started walking, while Helga felt the stage moving beneath her again. There would be a big wall to hide her once the stage was finished and the music would go louder and louder.

Adrasteia turned around the corner of the alleyway and there, on the cold and wet tiles from the rain, was Aiden. Adrasteia just stood there at first, observing the scene in front of her, watching the blood spread around him like rings in the water. She heard thunder in the background and the scene lightened up, making Aiden's body all that more obvious to the audience. Adrasteia inhaled sharply before walking towards him. She fell to the ground in front of him and looked at his lifeless face. She hated it. Aiden was always so full of emotion, be it anger, love or sadness; this lifeless expression didn't suit him… it was the way her face had looked for so many years and she felt as if she had stolen his expressions from him. It was her fault he was dead…

_Dead._ Helga repeated in her mind and then something in her snapped. Her logic told her that he wasn't dead. Of course he wasn't. The theatre blood wasn't even there, she had just been imagining it. The stage didn't even look remotely like an alleyway just yet; the pieces of wall behind her was made out of cardboard for crying out loud, but something about the scene in front of her; something about this feeling that started to rush through her. She could hear her recorded voice in the background singing. She heard her cue to take the small knife from her thigh and swing it around in her hand as the song said that she would _cut you_, but she didn't do it. She just sat there on her knees, her chest feeling tight.

"Stop." The director said, shocked that Helga of all people would forget what she was supposed to do. The music died and Arnold opened his eyes in surprise. While the director asked Helga if something was wrong, Arnold turned his head to look at her. He gasped in a low voice at the sight of a few tears running down her face. His first instinct was to reach out and dry her tears away, but seeing his hand approaching her seemed to snap her out of it and she violently swatted them away from her face herself. "S-Sorry. I guess I'm really tired." She said to the director and put on a smile. Arnold could see it was fake, but the director couldn't so he just nodded in acceptance. "That's understandable. All right, everyone. Let's go home for today." The director said and they all hollered in joy.

"Helga…?" Arnold questioned gently, but she refused to meet his eyes as she crawled towards the end of the stage and jumped off it. He quickly stood up, doing his best to follow her as she grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder. He wanted to call her, but he figured he shouldn't; Helga probably wouldn't appreciate him calling attention to her right now. He quickly grabbed his own bag, making sure his eyes never left her as she jogged out of the room. He did little to nothing to hide that he attempted to follow her and he ran out of the auditorium, right on her heels.

"Helga!" Arnold called once they were outside on the streets, but she didn't stop walking. He ran up next to her and saw her rubbing her hand against her cheek. "What?" she asked and looked away from him. "What happened? A-Are you ok?" he asked. "Yes, of course I'm ok!" she insisted, but her red eyes spoke against her. "I'm just tired." She stated once more and turned around the corner, until she noticed that she was going in the wrong direction. Before she could turn back to the right direction though, she managed to notice that she had been about to walk into an alleyway. She scrunched her eyes tight before getting back on track.

Arnold watched her, blinking in confusion before looking back into the alleyway. His eyes widened a bit and he followed her again. "Helga…" he said and put his hand on her shoulder. He had expected her to fight against him, but she let him stop her and he turned to stand in front of her. She didn't look at him, but he could see a fresh tear running down from her eye. Now, despite the fact that Arnold wanted to be a psychologist, he wasn't exactly known for being good at reading between the lines… but this didn't need much reading. He knew she felt the same way right now as he did earlier that day.

Arnold put his hands on Helga's cheeks and placed his lips beneath her eye, softly kissing the escaping tear away. He felt her close her eyes and he pressed a kiss to her eyelid for good measure. She sniffed and then let her forehead fall onto his shoulder, her arms slowly wrapping around his waist. She wasn't one who usually liked being babied, but that scene just before got more to her than she had thought it would… or _should_ for that matter. His arms over her shoulders felt like a protective wall and she tightened her grip around him.

"It's just acting, Helga." Arnold teased and she snickered at the familiar words. "It looked too real." She countered for good measure and felt him rocking her a little from side to side. "So you're telling me I'm a good actor?" he asked sarcastically, but frowned at her answer. "Well, I'm confident you have the acting ability to play a corpse." She told him and then felt his palm slap her back gently, at least much gentler than she would have if their words had been reversed. "Helga." He scolded warmly and she leaned back to look at him. "Hey, that was a compliment!" she insisted, but snickered at his cold stare. "All right, all right… Sorry." She said and kissed him. He sighed into the kiss and instinctively put his hand at the back of her head to pull her closer.

The sound of music caught their ears and they pulled away to look towards it. While Helga simply leaned to the side, Arnold turned most of his body around. "Oh. The music is coming from Civic Opera…" she observed and finally noticed the crowd of people that were waiting outside the doors, which were just opening. Arnold turned to look at her, observing the small sparkle in her eyes as she looked towards the opera. "Wanna go?" he asked before he could consider his words. She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Just like that? We don't even know if they have any tickets left for… whatever they're playing." She said, but a smile was appearing on her face at the thought.

Arnold _definitely_ wanted to go to the Civic Opera with Helga now, especially if it made her smile like that. "We can always try. Though…" he said and looked down at himself. "We're not exactly dressed for it…" he continued and started to frown. _Maybe one can't be spontaneous about everything._ He thought sullenly and Helga smiled at his concern. "Meh, they won't care." She said, took his hand and went towards the opera. "How do you figure?" he asked and she looked at him sheepishly over her shoulder. "They… know me." She admitted and he instantly took two long steps forward so that he was walking next to her. "They _know_ you? What kind of know?"

"They, uh… It's a long story. Civic Opera often reviews other plays and they have reviewed every single one I've been in. I've also been in the same interviews along with the director from this place and I mentioned watching Carmen there back when I was a child and… well, he said I could have a discount at any time so I think we're safe." Helga explained. Arnold cocked his head to the side as he smiled. "Boy, you're in a… completely different world, aren't you?" he asked and did his best to hide the worry in his voice. Helga heard it though and smiled at Arnold. "Naw, it just feels like that. I'm still Helga, just with a little more influence." She responded and nudged her elbow against his arm as she still held his hand. He smiled, seeing right through her attempt at soothing him. It worked.

They snuck through the crowd together, people giving them weird looks due to both their ages and their clothes. While the others were on their way inside the auditorium, Arnold and Helga went to the ticket booth. "Hey. Any tickets left for… whatever's playing?" Helga asked with a big smile. The woman gave her a disbelieving look and was obviously about to question how serious she was until a male voice boomed across the room. "Helga Pataki?" the man asked and Helga turned to look towards the voice. "Brent Anderson." She said with a smile and pulled Arnold away from the ticket booth.

"I did not expect to see my favorite young actress at the premiere of _Murder she wrote_." Brent Anderson said and held his hand out for Helga to take. Luckily, she was holding Arnold's hand in her left so she could easily shake his hand without letting go of Arnold. "Oh, so that's what's playing?" she asked and he gave her a stern look. She gave him her signature grin though and he shook his head in amusement. "May I ask who is accompanying you tonight, Miss Pataki?" he asked and looked Arnold. "This is Arnold Shortman." Helga said and used her now free hand to gesture to the somewhat shy Arnold. "He is my co-actor for _Roadside Girl_."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Shortman." Brent said and offered his left rather than his right hand. Arnold couldn't help but smile in appreciation as he took his hand. "N-Nice to meet you too, sir." He answered as he shook his hand. "Based on your clothes, I assume that you are here to watch _Murder she wrote_ on a whim?" Brent questioned and eyed Helga. "Well, yes, Mr. Anderson. We were hoping we would be allowed to watch another one of your astonishing operas even though we didn't know if it till now." She said with a smirk.

"You've always known how to work me, Miss Pataki." Brent answered with a chuckle and then eyed their clothes again. "I am not letting you in wearing that though…" he muttered and she pouted at him. "Oh, don't give me that look." He said with a smile. "Listen… agree to advertise _Murder she wrote_ in your own special way and I will let you loan some extra costumes to wear. They will look more appropriate than… the sports outfits." He suggested and Helga smiled broadly while Arnold was staring at him in disbelief. _Just like that?!_ He wondered, but Helga simply kept smiling. "Oh, Mr. Anderson, you are too kind." She said sweetly. "It's a deal. I will recommend _Murder she wrote_ on my blog."

"You have a blog?" Arnold whispered and Helga simply gave him a slanted look while Brent turned his back to them. "Follow me." He ordered and Helga dragged Arnold with her. "Since when do you have a blog?" Arnold asked in a whisper and Helga snickered. "Since it was requested of me by fans. Also, it's a great way to get free stuff like right now. I'll bet you fifty bucks that all he expects of me is to give _Murder she wrote_ a good recommendation on my blog and not even money to pay for the tickets. It pays to be well-known in this world." She told him and leaned back to smirk at him. "I told you they knew me."

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: I totally didn't plan this ending… The whole going to the Civic Opera thing came out of nowhere so now I have to plan this date too… Son of a bitch xD Oh, well. It'll be fun :3**

**Oh, and this opera is of course based on the series **_**Murder she wrote**_**. That came out of nowhere too. I was thinking about the names of the operas I knew, thought of Madam Butterfly and all of a sudden **_**Murder she wrote**_** came to mind… Don't question my logic! xD**


	11. Shall you be my new romance?

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Confrontations were made as both Arnold and Helga were met with scenes in the play that stirred feelings within them that were not welcome. Arnold's reaction to the rape scene of the play caused him to throw up and Helga to soothe him afterwards and Helga's reaction to the death scene caused her to cry and Arnold to soothe her. Without realizing, they got closer in one day and perhaps that was why they both spontaneously went to the Civic Opera and Arnold got to understand the severity of being known in the theatre world when he and Helga were offered to watch the premiere of a new opera for free.**_

**Author's 1st note: WARNING: Since the last chapter had some dark scenes due to the play this chapter is extremely fluffy! (Seriously, I felt the need to go and brush my teeth once I had finished the ending in order not to get cavities from the sweetness xD)**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 11: "Shall you be my new romance?"

_This is the second time today I feel stupid…_ Arnold thought as he looked at himself in the mirror. Brent Anderson had somehow managed to get costumes, or as he called them _more appropriate outfits for the opera_ for both Arnold and Helga. Arnold was currently wearing a black top hat, black pants, black shoes, white gloves, a white dress shirt with a red vest over and then a black jacket. His tie was also black and looked somehow ruffled beneath the vest. It was Victorian styled, he believed, but he wasn't sure. He turned around to look at the back of the jacket, which was much longer than what was customary in this decade. _I wonder what Helga is going to wear…_ He wondered and a bunch of images started to roam in his mind.

"Criminy… I had forgotten how heavy Victorian dresses are." Arnold heard Helga's voice say from the other side of the room. He gulped as he once again remembered that the only thing keeping them apart was the big Chinese screen. He wasn't even sure what to call the room they were in. He would have called it a regular dressing room, but he and Helga were the only people in there and he doubted that the actors were all finished dressing already. "Is it a big dress?" Arnold asked, but looked at his reflection in disbelief when he heard the stupidity of that question. "_No_." he heard Helga say and he snickered at the sarcasm dripping from her voice. "It's light as a feather. I just wanted to point out that I had worn Victorian dresses before just for the sake of conversation."

Arnold sighed, but he smiled as he readjusted his hat. "You wore Victorian dresses in _The power of love_ I assume?" he asked and frowned at his tie. It was hard to believe it was supposed to be so ruffled, it looked messy to him, but Helga had sworn it was supposed to look like that when he had asked her about it earlier. "Yes, since it took place in _Victorian_ times." She said with a small hiss and then gasped. When he looked towards the screen, he saw some black and blue fabric appear from outside the screen, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "You ok?" he asked. "Yeah, I just… In _The power of love,_ I had people to help me put the dresses on. Now I'm on my own and I'm scared shitless that I'll rip it or something." She admitted.

"Didn't Mr. Anderson say it wasn't likely to be used ever again?"

"Perhaps not, but several designers worked hard on creating this. There's no need for me to be careless."

Arnold blinked in surprise and then smiled at Helga's considerate words. His silence made her roll her eyes. "What are you thinking?" she asked and he just shook his head, but then remembered she couldn't see him. "Nothing special. Just… Just that you are still the same and yet you have changed over the years." He answered and could practically feel her eyes burn through the screen. "Yeah, uh… I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that." he heard her say and he recognized that sound in her voice; he had made her shy. He smiled at the thought and then shook his body a little as if trying to shake off his own anxiety. "Are you ready?"

"Oh! Uh… I guess." Helga answered and Arnold felt his breath leave him when she appeared from behind the screen. The black, long skirt hid her feet and it was decorated with blue tulle. Arnold didn't know this, but the color was called royal blue. She wore a corset over her torso, which was black, but decorated with blue velvet patterned into roses. The sleeves were falling elegantly beneath her shoulders and a black choker with black and blue pearls were hanging from around her slender throat. There was also a blue rose on the collar itself. She had managed to show off the collar easier by putting her hair into a casual bun, which looked surprisingly elegant. As her fingers started to fumble with the skirt nervously, he noticed that she was also wearing long, black gloves.

Arnold was speechless, while Helga smiled at him. "Well, don't you look handsome." She said and coughed in embarrassment of her own comment. "Uh… I, uh…" he mumbled and then coughed violently. She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I would ask you what you thought, but the fact that you just sounded like you swallowed your tongue seems to be answer enough." She said a little giddily. She was doing her best to appear indifferent, but the way he was staring at her made her whole body tingle.

"You're right. I-I don't have any words. Yo-You look really beautiful and I know that you have a rather big vocabulary, b-but I don't know good enough words to describe how absolutely stunning and amazing and - - " Arnold rambled until Helga interrupted him. "Criminy, Arnold, don't give yourself a stroke!" she shushed, her face completely flushed from his words. Arnold had to bite his lower lip in order to keep quiet and he watched her exhale for a long moment, which he assumed was her way of calling herself down. "So, uh… it's heavy?" he questioned, hoping to change the subject. "Yeah… it is…. The shoes are the worst part though." she admitted and lifted up her skirt, revealing calf high, black boots with laces. "Those are thin heels…" he observed distractedly. "Yeah, almost as thin as stilettos. I've never been good with heels." She admitted and let her dress fall again. "I practiced until my feet bled back during _The power of love_."

"Ow." Arnold stated with a frown and then laughed along with Helga when she started doing the same. "Well then, shall we?" she asked and offered him her arm. "Aren't I supposed to be the one to do that?" he asked and she put her hands to her hips. "_Fine_. Go ahead." She told him snidely, but secretly loved the thought of it. He coughed dramatically into his glove-covered hand and then bend his arm to offer it to her. "Shall we, my lady?" he asked in a refined voice and she couldn't help but giggle. "Indeed we shall, my good man." She said with the same sort of voice and then hooked her arm around his only to then start laughing with him. "What, no kiss on the hand?"

"I've already kissed your hand, Helga."

"Oh, please. That was a million years ago - - " Helga started, but then stopped talking when she saw Arnold's smirk. She frowned and then pointed at him. "Don't you go there." She warned and started walking. "Oh, come on, Helga. I already know it. Can't we… talk about it?" he asked as he opened the door for her and she gave him a look. "What do you want to talk about, Arnold? I'm not… proud of some of the things I did back then." She said and walked through the door, deliberately letting go of his arm in the process. "You don't have to be ashamed either." He insisted and hooked her arm around her arm again. She stopped walking as she sighed. "Arnold… I don't know what you want me to say." She confessed and he looked severely at her. "I just want to hear you say it. I know it's the truth already, but I need to hear it from you."

Helga eyed Arnold, but he didn't falter so she sighed and looked away from him. "When I was nine years old, I disguised myself, invited you out for dinner on Valentine's Day and made you believe I was your French pen pal." She said in a quick voice, but Arnold heard every single word. He blushed at them. He had already figured it out, but to hear her admit it for his sake made his heart flutter. _That means… that even back in fourth grade I liked Helga… I just wasn't aware of it._ He thought and started smiling. "Happy?" she asked, still refusing to look at him. _This is horrifying. Why didn't I just make up an excuse? I didn't have to admit anything!_ She scolded herself until she felt some soft fabric on her cheek. She turned to look at Arnold, only to be met with his soft lips. She made a small surprised whimper, but leaned into the kiss.

"Very much." Arnold told Helga once he had ended the kiss. She gawked at him in shock. "That's it?" she questioned and he blushed at her words, but then he smiled and leaned in, only to hear her laugh. "No, that's not what I meant." She said as she kept chuckling and he frowned shyly. "But I like the way you think." She added before giving him a short kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I mean… you're not freaking out? I mean, I was borderline psychotic as a child." She explained and he hummed thoughtfully. "Hey, we were just children, right?" he pointed out and she quirked an eyebrow at his words. "I think we've all done things that were a little… questionable."

"Oh, yeah? Have _you_?" Helga asked and hooked her arm around Arnold's again. "Uh…" he muttered and thought for a moment. "See? You haven't done _shit_, Mr. Goody-two-shoes." She countered with a snort. "Well, actually… remember the list?" he asked and she gave him an odd look. "The list…? What list…? Uh… Oh! The list to a kid's perfect Saturday?" she asked and he nodded. "Yeah, I remember you talking about trying it… You never told any of us how it went… I suppose it went badly then?" she asked and he coughed awkwardly. "Everything went wrong…" he answered. "_Everything_."

"And?"

"Once I got to the last part of the list… you know with watching a movie at the cinema three times, I had actually managed to lose my money through my pocket."

"Oh, you poor thing."

"I'm not done."

"Of course you aren't. I'm looking forward to where this is going."

"Well… I'd had a rough day and I was getting desperate so the thought of just going home and not even doing this last thing right was not an option anymore… so I decided to sneak into the cinema." Arnold admitted and Helga halted. "_You_?" she questioned in shock and he laughed dryly. "Yeah, _me_. I snuck in behind the screen and went through the vents and eventually landed in the middle of the cinema." He continued and her grin went wider. "You crawled through the _vents_?" she questioned as several memories of her doing the same roamed through her mind. "Yeah, and in the end it was all for nothing because guess what?" he said. "What?" she asked. "Technical error." He told her and she started laughing manically. "Best Saturday ever, my ass! You had the worst day of your life that day!"

"It was in the top ten when I was a child at least." Arnold admitted and started laughing too. "Thanks for telling me that. I feel a little better. Whoa… _You_ not paying for a movie and then sneaking inside. You _bad_ boy." Helga whispered teasingly and nudged her shoulder against his, which was easy since they were around the same height. "I was desperate." He defended. "You broke the law." She interjected in a long whisper and he frowned before kissing her quickly. She blinked in surprise. "What was that? Some weird counterattack?" she asked and he rolled his eyes before caressing her cheek and pulling her into another kiss. _So Arnold has more than just one dark side…_ She thought as she nibbled on his lip. _Good to know._

Arnold moaned into the kiss just as Brent Anderson's voice caught his ears. He jolted back while Helga simply smiled towards the director. "Don't you two look amazing together." He observed with a big grin and Arnold felt sheepish under the man's stare. "The young man is acting with you in _Roadside Girl_, right?" he asked and Helga arched an eyebrow at his question. "What are you getting at?" she asked with a formal smile and he gave her the same smile. "Oh, I am just curious. It seems as if you are rather close." He pointed out and she gave a low hum. "Mr. Anderson, if you wish for my review of your opera to be a positive one, you will stay out of my personal business." She warned and Arnold gawked at her in shock. _How can she talk like that to a man like this?_ He wondered, but said man simply laughed warmly. "Oh, I was merely showing my curiosity, Miss Pataki."

"Of course you were." Helga responded with a smile and Brent coughed into his hand. "You two will accompany me in the loge. Follow me please." He requested and turned on his heel. Helga pulled Arnold with her, but he was still in shock due to their former conversation. "What was that all about?" he asked in a whisper and noticed her shivering due to his breath tickling her. "I love Mr. Anderson as a talented director, but he is a little too fond of gossip." She answered in just as low a voice. "Oh…" he hummed, but then frowned. "Wait. Could us being seen here together jeopardize the play somehow?"

"Well, no. Not really. I…" Helga started, but then hummed thoughtfully. "Actually, a rumor about the two protagonists seeing each other may be good advertisement for the play." She admitted and gave him a smile. He titled his head in confusion, but then he heard Brent in front of them opening a door. "Thank you." Arnold said as politely as he could as he and Helga stepped inside in what looked like a very small, but also refined parlor. "Whoa!" he exclaimed in shock and then felt Helga's elbow against his arm. "This is the opera, Arnold. Show a little decorum." She scolded and his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What's decorum?" he asked and she gave him a slanted look. "You're yanking my chain, right?"

Arnold kept looking in confusion at Helga, but then started smiling, admitting that she was right. She snorted and then slapped the top of his head gently. "Who needs a little decorum _now_?" he asked sarcastically as they continued towards the curtains. Helga opened them and Arnold was astounded at the sight before him. They were in an auditorium, naturally, but it was much bigger than the one in Hillwood Theatre. Everything he saw looked expensive and was colored in either red or gold and a big, flashy chandelier hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room.

Helga led Arnold towards the two chairs in the front after seeing that Brent had seated himself in the back. There were only room for four, but she suspected his wife couldn't participate this evening since she wasn't there already. Arnold sat down carefully, afraid he may break the chair. "Is everything here made of gold?" he asked sarcastically. "Well, not pure gold, but mostly, yes." She answered nonchalantly and snickered when he gave her a look of disbelief. "Boy, you're not an opera person, are you, Arnold?"

"Well, no… but if I recall, you weren't too hyped when we were going to watch Carmen in fourth grade."

"True, I prefer regular theatre over opera, but opera has its… charms too." Helga said, her eyes flashing towards Brent for a moment. "What's your real opinion?" Arnold asked in a whisper and she snickered before leaning closer to him. "I still think they are a bunch of la-de-da-froo-froo suckers in wigs singing a lot of two dollar words about _nothing_." She whispered and he snickered at her words. "Then why did you want to go?" he asked and she shrugged. "Hey, it's still theatre." She answered and felt Brent's finger on her shoulder. She turned to look at him and noticed the binoculars in his hand. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Anderson." She said politely before grabbing them and offering them to Arnold. "Try them."

Arnold took the binoculars out of Helga's hand, which he noticed looked just as expensive as the rest around him. They were white, gold… and _heavy_, he felt as soon as they were in his hands. He looked at them for a moment, noticing the stick at the side of them. He tried whacking his wrist so that the stick would hold the binoculars up rather than hanging lazily against them, but the binoculars fell mockingly back in place when he tried. Helga snickering next to him made him frown. "Help me." He begged and she took them. Within a second, she had them placed correctly and offered them to him again. "Show-off." He mumbled childishly and looked at her through them. He blushed at the sight of her eyes so close to his. "Your eyes are really blue, you know that?"

"Well, I… I know now." Helga countered with a shy smile and Arnold smiled back before he leaned over the railing and looked down at the stage. "Good thing we have these. You can't see anything without them." He said and kept looking around excitedly. "You're like a child on Christmas." She observed and he blushed. He then offered her the binoculars out of embarrassment, figuring if he didn't have them, he could act more maturely. He was surprised though when she simply placed her hand around his, using his hand to hold the stick while she looked through the binoculars.

Arnold blushed when Helga turned the binoculars around, obviously looking at him through them. "Hmm… you're right: _Your eyes_ turn a whole different shade of green up close." She observed and let the binoculars fall to her lap, still holding his hand in hers. While he was still blushing, he started to lean towards her and closed his eyes when he saw her close hers in an obviously welcoming manner. A reprimanding cough behind them, made Arnold turn his head towards Brent who was smirking at them. "Don't like it, don't watch." Helga simply said, put her hand on Arnold's cheek and turned him to kiss her. He sighed into the kiss and didn't let go until the lights dimmed.

* * *

"I can't believe he went and did that." Arnold said in absolute shock. "I told you the man liked gossip. Also it was a brilliant way to thank me for agreeing to advertise _Murder she wrote_." Helga answered as she swung Arnold's hand in hers. They were currently on their way home from the first opera Arnold had seen since fourth grade. "Still, he took me by surprise." Arnold stated with a frown and Helga snickered. "He took me by surprise too." She insisted and he turned to look at her. "You were so calm when he suddenly called out on us when the opera was over. I was a wreck." He said and shuddered at the thought.

Once _Murder she wrote_ had finished and the standing ovation had begun, Brent had pulled out a microphone from seemingly nowhere and then bowed to the applauding people beneath him. He had thanked him and then suddenly declared that they all had the honor of having the well-known Helga Pataki with them tonight. Helga had whispered to Arnold, telling him to smile and arch his back as she forced him to stand up. Arnold had been looking like a deer caught in the headlights as he had admitted himself, while Helga had played along, cleverly promoting for _Roadside Girl_. She had halfheartedly scolded Brent Anderson for surprising them once they were alone with him, but she had also thanked him. As Helga had pointed out, it was good advertisement for _Roadside Girl_ and Arnold had been mentioned as well though Helga had made sure he didn't have to speak. His name was now at least out there. Where, he didn't know.

"You looked kind of cute, all nervous like that." Helga teased and snickered behind her hand. It was still a little sweaty from having worn those gloves all night and it had honestly been a relief to get out of the formal garments even if she thought Arnold had looked dashing in his. He frowned at her choice of words, but couldn't help but laugh with her. "You were so unbelievably professional, Helga. I'm still shocked. The way you talked, your posture, your-your… your whole attitude was just so… professional." He complimented and she smiled at him. "Well, thank you." she answered. "I've learned how to act when needed."

"Haven't you always known that?"

"Touché."

Arnold chuckled as he saw that Helga's house was not too far away from them. _Damn. I had hoped it would have taken us a little longer to get to her house…_ He thought with a frown. "Oh, boo." He heard Helga say absentmindedly. "If only my house was farther away." She continued and he stopped walking, causing her to halt as well since he was holding her hand back. "What's wrong?" she asked and took a step towards him so that their arms weren't stretched inhumanly between them. "I was… just thinking the same thing." He admitted and she tilted her head in confusion. "That I… hoped your house was farther away." He explained and saw a pink tint spread on her cheeks.

"Oh…" Helga hummed and then smiled giddily. Arnold smiled shyly back at her, his free hand going behind his head sheepishly. _What is this mood?_ He wondered, but then rolled his eyes mentally. _I know what this mood is… I just don't know what it means in the long run._ He corrected and started walking with her again. "Do you hear music?" she asked and looked towards her house. He strained his ears for a moment and then nodded. "Yes. What is that?" he asked, not noticing the female voice at all. Helga slowly started smiling. "It's Miriam who is watching _The king and I_ again." she said with an embarrassed chuckle.

"_The king and I_?" Arnold questioned and Helga turned to look at him. "Old movie. Not really my thing, but… a lot of the songs are really beautiful. Like this one." She answered and looked at the window again. "That movie is Miriam's guilty pleasure." She continued with a fond smile. Arnold watched Helga in awe before looking towards the window again as if that could help him hear the music. It was very soft until a female voice started singing. "_We've just been introduced. I do not know you well, but when the music started, something drew me to your side. So many men and girls are in each other's arms. It made me think we might be similarly occupied._"

Arnold saw in the corner of his eyes that Helga was showing him that familiar mischievous smirk before standing in front of him. "_Shall we dance_?" she sang as she curtsied in front of him and he blushed heavily. "Here?" he asked in shock and looked around. "_On a bright cloud of music. Shall we fly_?" Helga continued teasingly and then giggled at his embarrassed frown, but his hand went to take hers anyhow. "_Shall we dance?_" she asked again before pulling him to her roughly, their chests touching once he bumped into her. "_Shall we then say goodnight and mean goodbye_?"

_Dear God, I hope not_. Arnold caught himself thinking before following Helga for a few steps. "_Or perchance, when the last little star has left the sky… shall we still be together with our arms around each other and shall you be my new romance_?" she continued singing softly, while he desperately tried to follow her steps without missing a single word she sang. "_On the clear understanding that this kind of thing can happen. Shall we dance? Shall we dance? Shall we dance?_"

Helga then let Arnold take over as she stopped singing. Arnold barely noticed that the song had gone instrumental as well as they simply danced around, perhaps a little goofily, but they definitely felt like they were walking on air. Helga's giggle was contagious and before Arnold knew it, he was laughing so loudly with her that they almost drowned out the music. "You know the polka?" she asked and he stopped dancing. "Uh… somewhat." He answered, unknowing of why Helga had been so tempted to ask him.

"It goes…" Helga said and leaned closer to Arnold, her mouth against his earlobe. "One, two, three and one, two, three and one, two, three and… _Shall we dance_?" she suddenly started singing and before he knew it, they were dancing the polka. Well, somehow. He needed a second to catch onto the steps first, but then he took control of the dancing again, still goofing around but doing the right steps. In the back of his mind, he noticed the characters speaking over the music, but ignored them until he recognized some words the female said. He stopped dancing and looked curiously at Helga who was smiling like a naughty child. "Oh, you were just quoting what she said when you asked me if I knew the polka?" he asked and she snickered before forcing him to dance with her again.

"_Shall we dance?_" Helga sang again and Arnold noticed the male character, whom he now noticed talked a bit funny. With some sort of accent and mispronunciation of some words. "_On a bright cloud of music. Shall we fly_?" she continued and then the male voice kept counting in the background. "_Shall we dance? Shall we then say goodnight and mean goodbye_?" Helga and the female voice continued and Arnold was starting to feel more than a little fuzzy. This was all so meet cute except they had known each other for years. If Gerald saw him now, dancing with Helga to some old love song, he would never let him forget it. Not that Arnold ever could.

"_Or perchance_." The male sang with the female and Helga stopped singing and even stopped moving. "_When the last little star has leave the sky_." The male sang and Arnold frowned in confusion at the weird way of phrasing it, but mostly because Helga had stopped dancing. "What's wrong?" he asked and noticed her reddened cheeks. "I just realized how… how silly we must look." She admitted with a snicker. "Oh, please continue, Helga." He begged. "This is too much fun."

Helga watched Arnold for a moment and bit on her lower lip nervously. "_And shall you be my new romance_?" she asked in a soft voice and Arnold felt his heart beating like a drum in his chest at the way she was looking at him and at the way her voice stuttered. "_On the clear understanding that this kind of thing can happen, shall we…_" she stopped singing after that and looked away shyly. _What is this? This is a little too… It's too romantic. I-I don't know what to do anymore. I was just goofing around, but now I…_ She thought, feeling panic rushing through.

"_Shall we dance_?" Arnold then sang and Helga's face jolted towards his. She gulped when she felt his hand slide around her waist, pulling her closer. Their noses touched and her eyes left his. "Arnold, uh… Th-This is too…" She mumbled, but he cut her off in the sweetest way possible. She sighed into the kiss, the tight feeling in her chest slowly letting go. It _was_ too much. Helga had always been a romantic and how many times hadn't she imagined her and Arnold in this sort of situation or even just something remotely close? Her girlish heart was fluttering to no extent and she was desperate for it to stay and yet go away because she was truly afraid that she would faint soon.

Helga stopped the kiss suddenly, but let her forehead touch Arnold's in apology. "I… I need to go inside." She said and let go of him. He felt cold as she walked away from him and something inside his heart was shouting. She fumbled with her key at the front door when he stepped towards her, but stayed on the ground rather than following her up the stairs. "Can we do this again?" he heard himself ask and she turned to look at him. After a tense moment, she snorted. "What, dancing in the middle of the street?"

"No." Arnold chuckled, but then coughed. "Well, yes. Maybe, but, uh, I meant, um… Can we… go out again?" he elaborated and Helga's hand fell from the door. "Really…?" She asked and his eager way of nodding sent her heart flying. He wasn't asking her to be his girlfriend, but it was pretty damn close! As close, she had ever gotten since she offered to pretend to be his girlfriend in order to make Lila jealous back in fourth grade. She decided to leave him hanging for a moment, but her heart was spelling out the obvious answer. "Well… sure." She answered as normally as she could even though she felt like screaming it to the world.

Arnold's face lit up and Helga's heart leapt at the clear joy on his face. "Really?" he asked, trying to compose himself. "Sure. I mean… after all the kissing we've been doing it's almost rude _not_ to go out." She said teasingly, but the tension in her voice was palpable. "Well, you know me. I-I'm a gentleman." He retorted just as awkwardly as she had. "Yes, you are." She concurred and coughed to clear her throat. "Well, we'll, uh… see each other tomorrow." She continued and fumbled with her keys against the lock. "Yes, we will. G-Goodnight, Helga." She heard him say before she managed to unlock the door. "Yeah… goodnight, Arnold." she answered and snuck inside, the grin on her face almost embarrassing, but his grin was just as big.

Helga felt like squealing in happiness once she was out of Arnold's sight, but contained herself. She decided to look out of the peephole in the door, waiting for him to be gone so she could jump around in happiness. Both her eyes and her mouth went big at the sight of Arnold jumping around with his arms in the air in an obviously dorky and happy dance. She couldn't help herself; she opened her door again and said his name. He jolted before turning around, doing his best to look indifferent. "Yeah?" he questioned, his voice hoarse from what she presumed had been happy singing. She used her index finger to point. "Peephole." She reminded him and he looked at where she was pointing.

"Oh…" Arnold muttered and watched as Helga's face was practically split in two in a cracking Cheshire grin. "Any chance you'll ever forget seeing this?" he asked hopefully and she snorted. "Yeah, right." She answered before chuckling and closing the door behind her, leaving him to sigh alone. "Real smooth, Arnold…" he reprimanded himself. He started to scratch the nape of his neck awkwardly before looking into the sky. _What was it she sang again…?_ He wondered and started to smile. _When the last little star has left the sky…_ he sang in his head, without knowing that Helga was doing the same thing as she slid down her front door with a very content smile on her face. _And shall you be my new… romance?_

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Oh, the sweetness is cheesy and cheese is full of holes and… and I don't know where I'm going with this xD Oh, and I used a picture as reference for Helga's dress. As always you can message me on DeviantArt or YouTube and ask to see the picture :3**

**Song:**

**The king and I – "Shall we dance?"**


	12. I have an idea

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** When Helga and Arnold arrived at Civic Opera, the director Brent Anderson offered them free tickets in substitute for Helga giving the opera a positive review on her blog. In order for them to play the part though, they needed to be dressed properly, much to Arnold's horror but also happiness once he saw what Helga was wearing.**_

_**While Helga throughout the evening managed to lay some cards on the table and swept Arnold off his feet, he collected enough courage to officially ask her out some other time.**_

**Author's 1st note: Sorry it took so long! Again… xD**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 12: "I have an idea"

"Well, aren't you happy?" Gerald asked sarcastically when Arnold jumped out of the front door with a big grin on his face and on bouncy feet. "Yeah, I'm happy." He answered before practically starting to skip down the street. "How can you be this happy just before an exam?" Gerald asked before he yawned as he followed Arnold lazily. "Well, it is the last one." Arnold pointed out, still grinning widely. Gerald looked at him with his eyes only half-open. "Ok, man, what's happened? No one should be this eager for an exam. Even if it is the last one." He said before managing to get beside Arnold rather than behind him. Arnold slowed down, folding his hands behind his back. "Helga and I went on a date last night."

"Whoa-whoa, wait. What?" Gerald asked and grabbed Arnold's shoulder, stopping the grinning boy from walking any further. "When did that happen?"

"Last night, I just told you."

"No! I mean when did you ask her out?"

"I didn't"

"… You gotta explain that."

"We, uh… We were on our way home after yesterday's practice and then we decided to go to the opera first."

"… Who randomly decides to go to the opera?"

"Gerald, it was amazing! Helga _knows_ people."

"Knows people?"

"Yes, she knew the director of the opera that had premiere last night so we got in for free _and_ Brent Anderson let us borrow some old costumes so we didn't have to sit in our sportswear inside the opera."

"You wore costumes to the opera?"

"Well, it was better than sportswear. You should have seen Helga! She had this big Victorian black and blue dress on and oh, God, she looked so - - "

"I _refuse_ to hear the _Arnold loves this girl to death_ rant about Helga of all people! I get it. You love her, you wanna marry her and you want the whole nine yards." Gerald interrupted with a look of disgust on his face. Arnold didn't care about his snide remarks though; he was in fact too happy to even notice. He started walking in this bouncy way again, his bag hanging heavily on his shoulder, but the rest of him felt light as a feather. "I guess it was a good date?" Gerald asked, wondering how good a date at the _opera_ could be of all places. "It wasn't so much the opera as the way home." Arnold answered, swinging softly from side to side."

"You got a good goodnight kiss?"

"Oh, I got more than a kiss."

"Do tell." Gerald said with a boyish grin and Arnold looked at him in surprise at his tone. "No! Get your mind out of the gutter!" he bellowed with reddened cheeks, but his smile was still bigger than his cheeks. "Then what?" Gerald asked with a sigh. "I… asked her out." Arnold answered with an innocent shrug and Gerald knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. "So you're dating her now?" he asked, but Arnold shook his head. "Not really. I just asked more officially for a second date." He answered and Gerald rolled his eyes. "One thing at a time, but yeah, I'm… hoping we'll end up dating for real."

"You wanna go steady?" Gerald asked while wiggling his eyebrows and it was Arnold's turn to roll his eyes. "Why must you make fun of me?" he asked. "If you don't like it, stop making it so easy!" Gerald answered, his grin just as big as Arnold's by then. "You can do and say what you want; I am too happy to care." Arnold said and blew a raspberry at Gerald who simply smirked at him. "I'm finally going in the right direction with Helga. This is a huge step forward and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep it that way."

* * *

"Hi, Arnold! Today was your last exam, right? How did it go?" Maria asked once Arnold was inside the auditorium. He eyed her clothes first though. "Uh… it went pretty good, I think. Um… what are you wearing?" he asked and she looked down at herself. She was wearing a black leather dress, which barely covered the essentials. "Oh, the girls' costumes are ready so we're all trying them out." She explained and made a twirl. "How does it look?" she asked and struck a pose. Arnold snickered at her energy and then hummed dramatically. "Well, I'm sure that's what a prostitute would look like."

"Why, thank you." Maria said in a sweet voice and laughed with Arnold. "So Helga is changing too?" he couldn't help but ask before stepping onto the stage. "Yeah! Her costume for this song resembles ours, but it has more details of course so it takes more time to put it on." She answered and smirked at Arnold. "She seems to be awfully happy today." She added nonchalantly enough for Arnold not to notice. "Yeah?" he inquired, fighting to keep the smile off his own face. "Yeah…" Maria answered and held back a snicker. "She keeps on singing this old love song. Something about dancing…"

"_Shall we dance_?" Arnold asked before he could stop himself and Maria snapped dramatically with her fingers. "That's the one!" she bellowed and watched as a big grin spread on Arnold's face. "Ok, Arnold. Spit it out." She ordered and he turned to look at her again. "You and Helga are both so randomly happy all of a sudden and I think your happiness has to do with each other so…" she said and then jumped towards him with every syllable she said. "What's going on?"

Arnold snickered at the way Maria was smiling excitedly at him and he was very tempted to tell her; he just didn't know what Helga would think of that. "Nothing happened!" he insisted, but she gave him a slanted look. "You're _saying_ that, but that smile on your face speaks against you." She said as she poked his cheek and he stepped away in embarrassment. "Come on!" she begged and them jumped towards him again. "Tell, tell, tell!" she begged excitedly. _Oh, boy. How do I get out of this?_ Arnold wondered, still trying to conceal his grin.

"Tell what?" Helga's voice asked not too far away from them. _Saved by Helga! That's a new one…_ Arnold thought and gulped once he caught sight of her. Like Maria, Helga was wearing a short and black dress made out of leather. There were two zippers made out of silver on the dress; one from her chest and to her lower stomach and the other in front of her right thigh. The latter one was naturally much smaller and was obviously only there for show. She was wearing black leather gloves around her hands, but her fingers were bare. A simple, black choker decorated her throat and a pair of very high-heeled black go-go boots with shoelaces were pulled over her feet and calves.

Arnold gulped audibly at the sight of Helga and she seemed to be completely in character as she sauntered over to him. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked sarcastically and used her index finger to lift his chin. His whole body shuddered at the touch and then her exterior faltered. She snickered loudly as she let go of his chin, hunching over with laughter. "You should have seen yourself!" she mocked and he blushed heavily. "I didn't expect you to come out looking like that!" he defended, but she just gave him a sexy pout that shut his mouth.

Helga kept snickering for a bit before she looked at Maria. "So, what _were_ you two talking about?" she asked with a smile. Maria put her hands on Arnold's shoulders as she grinned. "Oh, Arnold was just telling me about his night." She answered as she wiggled her eyebrows. Helga arched one of her own and turned to look at Arnold who seemed very uncomfortable between the two girls. "Really?" she asked and Maria nodded. "Yup." She answered with no hesitation, but Arnold shook his head at Helga, begging her to believe that he hadn't told her anything.

"Uh-huh, so tell me, Maria. What _did_ happen last night?" Helga asked as she crossed her arms, unconsciously causing her breasts to bounce upwards. _Oh, God._ Arnold thought and shut his eyes. It would be a very horrible moment to start feeling aroused though no one could really blame him if he did. "You two got a little closer." Maria answered and Arnold had to give her credit for the vague response since she didn't really know anything. "Oh?" Helga inquired and hummed thoughtfully. "What kind of closer?"

"Um…" Maria muttered, obviously unsure of what to answer. "Physically?" she suggested and Helga snickered. "You know squat." She stated and Maria whined. "Oh, come on, Helga! I'm your biggest fan! You gotta let me know about my favorite actress' love life just a little bit!" she insisted before pushing Helga towards Arnold and stepping aside herself. "Come on. Tell, tell, tell!" she begged as she bounced joyfully. "There's nothing to tell." Helga insisted and Maria pouted. "Oh, so you're both just randomly happy on the same day?" she asked sarcastically and crossed her arms. "It's a small world, Maria. Somewhere in Japan a guy just won the lottery and is now yelling _banzai_." Helga retorted and Arnold snickered at the random joke. Maria pouted again. "Oh, Helga - - "

"Maria, David just got here."

"Oh. Good morning, David!" Maria said, waved excitedly and then went to jump off the stage. Arnold and Helga watched her as she approached David who smiled at her. "Looks like your plan is working." Arnold observed when Maria hugged David and he hugged her back. "Oh, it's working all right." Helga answered and nudged her elbow at Arnold, causing him to turn and look at her mischievous smile. "So I didn't just dream all that last night?" he asked and she shook her head. "Not unless you dreamt about it afterwards."

"Wouldn't be the first time…" Arnold whispered innocently and Helga's eyes widened. "You dream about me?" she asked, a disbelieving smile spreading on her face. She was most of all surprised that he would admit it. "I'm only telling you because I figured I owed you after you told me about Cecile." He retorted and she nodded thoughtfully. "So you have dreams about me… Good to know." She stated as she smiled at him. He started to smile as well and his smile stayed on until she frowned. "Wipe that smirk off your face."

"_You_ wipe it off." Arnold challenged and Helga's chin hung open in shock at his boldness. "I can't do that _here_." She whispered, but the thought was making her feel giddy. "Fine. Then it'll just stay on…" Arnold hummed with the smile still plastered on his face. "_All day_." He added teasingly and she growled in amusement. She looked behind him for a moment, watching if the coast was clear. No one seemed to pay any attention to them, so she grabbed him by the front of his collar and clashed her lips against his.

Arnold moaned into the kiss, but when he did, Helga leaned back. "You're gonna have to do better than that." he whispered desperately, but she just snickered and slapped his chest gently. "Be patient." She scolded and he sighed dramatically. "You're gonna have to be patient… especially since we are going to rehearse what we are going to rehearse now." She pointed out and he looked at her in confusion. "Arnold." she said and stepped back, her hands gesturing to her dress. "In what scenes is Adrasteia wearing this?" she asked. He eyed her clothes, desperately trying to ignore the growing heat in his lower stomach and focusing on when this particular dress is mentioned in the play. When he remembered, his eyes widened and he looked at her in realization. She was grinning mockingly and he almost felt like fainting. _Oh, dear God, of all days…_

"Hey!" David's voice boomed and both Arnold and Helga turned to look at him. "Since when did you two become opera lovers?" he asked with a smirk before walking up on the stage. The blondes looked at each other in confusion. "Wait. What?" Helga questioned and David showed them the newspaper he had in his hands. "There's an article with a picture of you two at the Civic Opera. Apparently from last night." He said and offered the newspaper to Helga. "What?!" said girl exclaimed and tore the newspaper away from his hand and opened it. She leaned towards Arnold when she felt him trying to look over her shoulder. "Famous theatre actress Helga Geraldine Pataki was seen last night at Civic Opera during the premiere of _Murder she wrote_ by director Brent Anderson. Accompanying her was an unknown face whom she introduced as Arnold Shortman, her male co-star for the play _Roadside Girl_ which will premiere - - "

"I _knew_ something happened between you two!" Maria interrupted, but Helga didn't try to continue reading the article. "What the hell! We're theatre actors, not movie stars! How did they get this information so fast?" she wondered aloud. "You were at the premiere of _Murder she wrote_, Helga, a long-awaited opera. Of course there was going to be journalists there." David told her and she frowned at his tone. "Brent Anderson took us by surprise when he suddenly mentioned us. This is not our fault!" she insisted. "Who said anything about fault, Helga?" David asked, his face growing a little angry. She simply shot him the same look though. "Your _tone_ is accusing!"

"Stop it." the director's low voice interrupted and both David and Helga turned to look at him. He approached them, his own newspaper in hand. "Listen. Usually, I wouldn't be very fond of this, especially not since the article starts to mention how they believe a romance is going on between Arnold and Helga, which is considered highly unprofessional… but, I have spoken with our writer and he has been getting e-mails from many important figures in the theatre industry last night. There's developing a big interest in our play now and even though I am not very fond of the play only getting extra attention because of the drama of a juvenile, unprofessional romance… then I am going to let it slide."

Both Arnold and Helga exhaled in relief. "Thank you, sir." Arnold said and the director smiled at him. "Oh, don't thank me, Arnold. Any publicity is good publicity. The more interest the play gets, the more money we earn and the more money we earn, the happier we all are in the long run." He responded, earning a laugh from his actors. "In fact…" he said and pointed at the actors with his newspaper. "I recommend that Helga write on her blog that she is going out partying with her fellow actors this Saturday. Plan to meet up at some club or whatever you youngsters do today and create some rumors and publicity."

"Why, aren't you cunning!" Damon stated with a grin. Arnold hadn't even noticed when Damon had gotten there, but he had obviously been following the conversation for a while. "Some journalists or at least some of Helga's fans will be bound to show up to get either pictures, autographs or hoping to get some good gossip. Give them that, but with taste." The director continued. "Yes, sir." Helga answered with a smile and after nodding, the director turned his back to them and walked off. Helga took a step forward and turned around to look at the others who were dumbstruck. "I knew the man was smart, but not that he was an evil genius."

"Looks like we're partying this Saturday." David stated and Maria bounced happily. "Where should we go?" she asked with her hands folded. "Well, that would be up to the couple." Damon said with a smirk. Arnold and Helga frowned in embarrassment, but didn't get to correct him before he continued. "You two grew up here in Hillwood. Any place you would suggest?" he asked. Arnold and Helga closed their eyes, deep in thought until they snapped open and they pointed at each other. "Circle Theatre!"

The others looked between Arnold and Helga in surprise. "Whoa, in unison and everything. You're _that_ kind of couple." Damon said and rolled his eyes in amusement. "What is Circle Theatre?" David asked and Helga turned to look at them. "Circle Theatre is this big venue that is mostly known for being the place Dino Spumoni had his big break. Mayor Dixie also announced it as a city landmark back when we were children." She explained. "It's also the place where my grandparents had their first date." Arnold added a little sheepishly. "Aww…" Maria hummed and folded her hands again.

"Wait. If it's a city landmark, are we allowed to party in there?" David asked and Helga looked questioningly at Arnold. "Uh… it's still called Circle Theatre and the building is still the same, but it's been remodeled and is now used for either private parties or official gatherings so it shouldn't be a problem." He explained and Helga smiled. "Well, that's to our advantage. We'll call and schedule a party, I'll write about it on my blog and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo, we got ourselves some advertising." She said, but then Arnold frowned. "Wait. If we schedule a private party, how are journalists supposed to come in?"

"We'll call it an open party." Helga answered and Arnold smiled at her. "Is there anything you don't know?" he asked sarcastically and she smirked at him. "How to stop making you impressed of me seems to be one of them." She retorted before taking his nose between two of her fingers and wiggling it. "Oh, keep the PDA to a minimum, would you?" David begged dramatically and hunched over to hide behind Maria, who just giggled. Helga had a feeling that Maria loved this newly developed friendship between herself and David. It was only a matter of time before it would develop into something more. "Speaking of PDA…" Maria said and then snatched the newspaper from Helga's hand. "Explain this!"

"There's nothing to explain. We were on our way home, saw the Civic Opera and made a spontaneous outing out of it." Helga explained nonchalantly. "Outing?" Damon repeated in disbelief. "What do you mean _spontaneous_? If it you didn't plan it, then what's with these outfits?" Maria asked and pointed at the picture for good measure. The blondes leaned towards the newspaper and noticed the picture for the first time. It was the two of them next to Brent Anderson, all of them clapping together.

"Well… I know Brent Anderson, the director, and he… offered to let us in for free, borrow some more appropriate clothes all in exchange of me mentioning _Murder she wrote_ on my blog." Helga explained, again with an indifferent voice. "You look gorgeous in this, Helga." Damon observed, as he looked closer at the picture. "I mean, the dresses you wore for _The power of love_ were good too, but whoa." He added and Helga smiled a little shyly. "And, Arnold. Don't you look dashing!" Maria teased and couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, yeah. Haw-haw." Arnold retorted. "You _did_ look good… but it's true that you kind of fade compared to me." Helga teased and started laughing when Arnold pretended to have been shot by an arrow in his heart and then fell backwards as if dying. "Oh, you big drama queen!"

They all laughed together before the director's voice told them to get in their places. "Ok, back to the cheap seats where you belong, Shortman." Helga mocked and waved at Arnold. He rolled his eyes at her words, but jumped off the stage anyhow and went to sit next to the director. While Helga, Damon and the other boys and girls went to their positions, David went to sit down next to Arnold. The director talked into the mic, telling the sound technician to start the song. Arnold then remembered what scene they were about to practice and he leaned forward instantly, knowing full well how this would turn out. Even just the name of the song said everything… _S.E.X._ He felt David pat his back sympathetically and Arnold turned to smile at him over his shoulder before the music started.

The echo of a low bass repeated four times before a heavy guitar riff overlapped it. The pattern repeated itself while the girls and boys walked towards each other, Helga being the exception. She stayed in place while Damon went to the middle front of the stage, the other dancers behind him. When the speed picked up, a new instrument playing with the others, Damon started dancing while Helga continued to stay in the background. Arnold was a little unsure of whether she was supposed to actually be on the stage in this scene or if she was pretending to be hiding behind a wall.

Arnold almost shuddered when Helga's sultry voice suddenly started singing. "_No is a dirty word. Never gonna say it first. No is just a thought that never crosses my mind._" She sang and Arnold was almost afraid of looking at her as she leaned backwards towards the wall and slid down seductively. The play was sexual; it was known for it, but this scene was the scene, which the writer, the director and anyone who knew about the play suspected to become one of the most infamous scenes. Damon seemed to offer his hand towards Helga who started to walk towards him when one of the other boys took her hand and made her follow him.

"_Maybe in the parking lot, better bring your friend along. Better off together than just one at the time…_" Helga sang, caressing Damon's cheek as the other boy's hand glided down her bare thigh. Arnold would have been green with jealousy if he didn't know that Damon at least was gay, he didn't know about the other dancer, but he was going to pretend that he was gay too for the sake of not losing his mind. A heavy beat of some drums set the mood to the big and sudden movements of Helga and Damon's steps. For a moment, it looked like they were dancing jitterbug until Helga started singing again.

Arnold couldn't bear listening to the lyrics though, he felt mesmerized by the way Helga moved her body. It would be redundant to say that she was screaming sex and, all things considered, it was starting to get to him on more than one level. He had been shocked the first time he had seen her like this while she was singing _I'm your favorite drug_, but the shock felt along with the reunion had been shadowing everything else, every other feeling he would have felt. Needless to say; Helga had become a distraction in many ways since then.

It felt like it had been hours and yet only seconds before Helga emerged to the end position. Her legs wrapped around Damon's waist and he tilted her backwards until she was looking at the imaginary audience with her arms hanging like vines from a tree down towards the floor. Arnold could have been wrong; his mind was clouded with lust after all, but he could have sworn that she had winked at him before Damon had helped her standing up. "Jesus…" David muttered under his breath, earning Arnold's attention. The young men smiled awkwardly, but knowingly at each other before clapping with the director. "Spectacular." He complimented before Ludmilla whistled and Kimberly hollered in the background.

"Dancing in the dresses really makes it more difficult…" Maria observed and pulled her skirt down her thighs for good measure, not that it did any good. "Once the boys' costumes are finished they'll be wearing leather too." The director pointed out, but Maria just shot him a slanted look. "It's not the fabric that is the issue, sir." She retorted. "I know." He responded matter-of-factly and perhaps even teasingly. "You'll be wearing the costumes all day in order to get used to them." He continued and Arnold gulped. _All day?!_ He repeated in his mind and looked at Helga whose eyes looked at him as if she could see right through him. _It's going to be a long day…_

* * *

Arnold had been right in his internal anticipation before; it did become a long day. With Helga wearing such a dress 24/7 it was hard not to get distracted from time to time. Time to time being almost every single moment of every single minute. Arnold had been able to get by though at least until the director had told them to practice one of the few scenes they had yet to practice at all. Arnold knew his lines: there were very few of them after all. The lines weren't the problem; it was the scenario. While the scenario went through his mind, as the director's directions became mere buzz in his ears, he started to feel his leg bounce. _Get yourself together. You're not a fifteen year old hormone-filled boy anymore! You're 20 years old; start acting like it!_ He scolded himself, unknowing that Helga was thinking almost the same thing. _This is ridiculous… This scene is not even all that sensual… Oh, who am I kidding; it is sensual, but that's no excuse! How can I call myself an actress if I can't even do this? Then again…_ She thought and tried to look as if she was listening to the director._ This isn't another actor, I'm working with… It's Arnold… my girlhood love and my newborn one as well. How can I not be affected by that?!_

"So, are you two ready?" the director asked, unknowing that both blondes were thinking _no_ in capitals, but were nodding their heads anyhow. "Ok, lights." The director said to the special effects electrician who had been with them through most of the day. The lights were dimmed into a soft orange glow and Helga groaned. _Oh, for fuck's sakes. Why not just put a pair of freaking candles around us?!_ She screamed inside her head and arched her back until she heard it crack behind her. _Ow! Shit, I need to get rid of that habit._

"Music." The director continued and the soft sound of a guitar started playing. Helga inhaled deeply and looked towards the director, waiting for his signal even though she knew herself when she was supposed to start walking. He waited for a moment and then nodded at her. Adrasteia took a couple of determined, but also shaky steps. She was looking around, both making sure no one was watching her and also looking for the person who had send her a note earlier that evening. She could hear steps behind her and froze. A pair of warm hands touched her arms and she exhaled shakily. She didn't need to see nor hear his voice to know who it was. "Why did you ask me to come here?"

"I needed to see you again." Aiden answered behind Adrasteia, his hands ghosting delicately over her skin. With a shaky breath, she turned on her heel and put her fingers against his chest. "You must have a sick wish to die if you're so desperate to see me for even a moment." She told him as she pushed him backwards. He didn't fight her before he felt his back touch the wall behind him and he grabbed her hand before she could move it from his chest. They held each other's stare for a moment until Aiden leaned towards Adrasteia to kiss her.

"Stop!" the director interrupted and both blondes turned their heads to look at him, but they didn't let go of each other. "Helga, Adrasteia denies Aiden's kiss." The director reminded her and she blinked in confusion until she remembered that rather than doing what she had supposed to, she had been about to accept Arnold's kiss. "Oh. Uh… s-sorry." She apologized. "Take it from Adrasteia's last line." The director ordered and they did. Once Aiden again leaned towards Adrasteia, she stepped around herself in order to get out of his hold, but he just followed her and she ended up as the one pinned against the wall. _Seems familiar…_ Helga thought and forced her face to go stern despite mostly wanting to turn into a puddle in Arnold's embrace. He gave her a longing gaze before kissing her only to get interrupted by the director once more. "Arnold!" he barked and they looked at him. "Aiden has a line first. Do you remember it?"

"Oh. Uh… y-yeah, I remember it."

"Then say it."

Arnold coughed awkwardly and pulled a little away from Helga. _Focus, will you!_ He ordered himself though he wasn't sure which part of himself he was talking to. "Please…" Aiden whispered and leaned as close to Adrasteia as physically possible without actually touching her. "Please let me have you…" He continued and Helga shivered. _Oh, boy. Steady, old girl. This is Aiden and Adrasteia, not Arnold and Helga!_ She reminded herself and opened her mouth to speak. _Crap!_ She thought and closed her mouth again. "I-I forgot my line…" she admitted dejectedly and the director sighed before reading her line aloud from his own script. "Got it?" he then asked and she nodded. "From Aiden's last line."

"Please let me have you…" Aiden whispered and moved closer to Adrasteia's lips. "Taking me is signing your own death penalty." Adrasteia told him as he put his hands on her cheeks. "Then let the Devil take me." He said before clashing his lips against hers. At first, Adrasteia accepted and even responded to the kiss, but then Helga felt Arnold's _enthusiasm_ poking at her lower abdomen and she gasped into his mouth. Much like her, Arnold hadn't noticed his body's honesty until he had felt that surge of pleasure run through him from the minor friction he had just received.

Both Arnold and Helga jumped away from each other in embarrassment though Helga couldn't jump very far with the wall behind her. "What is wrong with you two?" the director scolded and the blondes flinched at his harsh tone. "Get your head back in the game. Take fifteen minutes to collect yourselves." He continued with an exhausted sigh and turned his attention to Kimberly who had been smirking knowingly at the two blondes through the reprimand. She turned her attention to the director though when he spoke her name and left the blondes to wonder what her look had meant.

It took Helga about two seconds to growl in frustration and grab Arnold's hand to pull him backstage. Unbeknownst to the both of them, the other actors looked at them as they disappeared. "You think she is going to smother him?" Maria asked and David tilted his head from side to side in thought. "Depends on what kind of smother you mean…" He answered honestly. Maria blinked in surprise and turned to look where Arnold and Helga had just disappeared. "I guess we should stay away then…"

Arnold had followed Helga obediently, wondering what she was planning to do once they were away from the others. He wasn't sure what he had expected her to do or say, but kicking a random prop hadn't crossed his mind. "Fuck!" she cursed bitterly and then took the white silk robe with her name on it to put it over her bare and, at this point, rather cold skin. Arnold didn't say anything; he didn't dare. He also didn't get the chance to before Helga spoke. "I refuse to let whatever _this is_ ruin the play." She said, gesturing wildly between herself and him. He frowned at her choice of words, but nodded in agreement. He may not have been a professional actor, but he had a commitment to the play now and he wished to see it succeed. "But what are we supposed to do? We're… both tense." He decided to describe them as. She rolled her eyes at his childish attempt at censoring what they were feeling, but didn't comment on it. "We should get ourselves… un-tensed."

"… Nice one, Helga."

"Oh, yeah, like _tense_ was a proper adjective to describe this situation to begin with!"

"How do you want to describe it?!"

"Horny! We are _horny_, Arnold!" Helga screamed at the top of her lungs, but at hearing her own words, her face turned completely flushed. Arnold's face was flushing bright red as well and they looked away from each other. "Let's go with tense." Helga suggested and Arnold nodded. With a sigh, he leaned back against the wall. _But she's right… We both know what's going on, but… what are we supposed to do about it?_ He wondered and blushed at the suggestion a certain part of his anatomy seemed the most enthusiastic about.

Helga crossed her arms and started to bounce on her leg in frustration. Arnold was going insane from the sound of it; it was like when a drop of water kept making this high-pitched sound when hitting the sink. "Would you _please_ stop that?" he begged and she did, but only to then step in front of him. "_Make me_." She challenged and his eyes widened. _She isn't telling me… what I thinks she's telling me, right?_ He thought and looked at her, as her face seemed to be indecisive between being stern and embarrassed. _Wait… What did I just say? What am I even thinking? Oh, criminy, I don't even know anymore!_ She thought and looked away.

"I don't know…" Helga admitted to Arnold's unspoken question. They stayed like that for a bit, switching between wondering what they should or _wanted_ to do and looking at each other, hoping the other now had an answer. Arnold almost flinched when Helga suddenly moved, but all she did was lean on the wall next to him, her arms still crossed and her teeth biting her lower lip in deep concentration. He gulped at the sight of her; it wasn't even the dress' doing, it was _her_. Just Helga. The way her ankles crossed elegantly, the way her waist hunched forward so that her lower back wasn't touching the wall and her creamy skin. The white robe did little to nothing to hide anything else than her shoulders and back, which frankly, weren't what had his interest right then.

"I have an idea."

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Mean cliffhanger, I am aware! Mwuahaha xD**

**Song:**

**Nickelback – S.E.X.**


	13. Your goal in life

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Arnold was unnaturally happy on the morning for his last exam. It wasn't due to the fact that it was his last exam, but rather that he now had an official deal with Helga to go out again sometime though they hadn't worked out any details yet.**_

_**There was a downside to Arnold and Helga suddenly getting more along though; the other feelings that suddenly started to surface. The new costumes, which the director decided the girls should wear all day, were driving Arnold crazy whenever he looked at Helga so when it was time for them to practice a rather sensual scene between their characters, the both of them couldn't focus on their lines and were sent away for a break.**_

_**Arnold and Helga knew what they wanted, but shouldn't do so what was the alternative in order to get… calm?**_

**Author's 1st note: I'm sorry it took so long! I'm so mean… xD Honestly, I wasn't sure how I wanted this first part of the chapter to be. I was going back and forth between all the way, partially the way and no way at all xD As in: get interrupted… yet **_**again**_** xD But you can see what I came up with now! Enjoy :P**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 13: "Your goal in life"

"Hey!" Helga said and snapped her fingers in front of Arnold whom it took a second or two to get out of his reverie. He looked into her ocean blue eyes, finally showing that he was listening. "We're never gonna do this with your head in the clouds." She told him and stepped away from the wall. "D-Do what?" he asked, but then she was letting the silk robe slide down her arms. _Helga!_ He screamed inside his head because his mouth was too shocked to say her name aloud. "You weren't listening to me at all, were you?" she asked a little accusingly, looking at him over her shoulder. He shook his head in dead honesty, seriously wishing he had heard what she had suggested because, _boy_, wouldn't he have loved to hear the words from her mouth.

"We need to get un-tensed, right?"

"Uh-huh…"

"But we only have about ten minutes, which is not nearly enough time for what I'd really like to do with you." Helga said with a very small, almost invisible smirk on her face. Arnold blushed heavily and looked away. "I wouldn't last ten minutes at this point…" He muttered under his breath, not seeing that Helga was now blushing as well. "Well, thank you." she said, unable to think of anything more appropriate to say. Arnold gasped when he realized that he had just admitted that aloud and put his hand over his mouth as if to conceal any other indecent words that may have planned to slip from his lips. He did his best to force his blush, among other things, to go down while she simply smiled a little at him. "Wait. So…" he started as he removed his hand from his mouth. "What _did_ you suggest?"

Helga looked at Arnold for a moment, looking as if she was weighing the cons and pros of answering him. "Helga?" he questioned and she sighed. "I was thinking… Olga always makes me, uh… massage her whenever she's stressed and she says it helps a lot, so… how about it?" she suggested shyly and his eyes widened. "A… massage?" he repeated and then felt the alarm going on in his head. _No! No, no, no! I do not trust myself with my hands on Helga right now!_ He screamed inside his head, but on the outside, he was as calm as a summer breeze. "Uh… sure. That could work." He answered, despite his brain and his body begging to differ. "Ok, then lie down." She told him and put her robe down on the floor. _Me…?_ He thought for a moment as he lay down. _Oh, she is going to give me a message!_ He thought and smiled in relief. At least until he felt her sit on his lower back and panic rose within him again. _Hold on. This is even worse! I don't have anything else to focus on but her hands on me!_

"Uh, Arnold. I-I'm gonna need your shirt off…" Helga muttered above him, her face completely flushed, but he couldn't see that. "Oh, uh…" he muttered and felt her move herself upwards so that he had room to pull his t-shirt off. To his surprise, she grabbed the hem of his t-shirt as well and helped him pull it off. He didn't notice how eager her hands were though. He rolled the t-shirt into a ball, crossed his hands on the floor and used them for extra leverage on the t-shirt as a pillow for his chin. He refused to lay on his cheek; he would be able to _see_ her too if he did! He shut his eyes tight when he felt her slightly cold hands ghost over his back. They disappeared quickly though and he was about to ask what was wrong when he felt the hands on him again. _Oh… she removed the gloves._ He observed as she started with her hands connected next to each other, gliding them gently over his spine and to his shoulder blades.

_It's Olga. It's just Olga. I've done this a million times and it's just Olga…_ Helga kept chanting this mantra inside her head as her hands slid down his left side, gently, carefully…. _Sensually_. _Oh, who am I kidding? Arnold's back is too broad and toned to even remotely resemble Olga's!_ She added in her mind and shut her eyes tight. Arnold kept his eyes closer as well, trying to force his body to relax and yet not relax too much. It was painful lying on his stomach right then and not because of the cold floor. Helga had avoided that by putting the robe beneath him, but it was rather the hard floor against his manhood that hurt, but he wouldn't turn around. No, he would _not_… even if it was far more tempting to do so; to turn around and feel Helga's warmth rather than the cold floor.

_Crap!_ Arnold thought just before a moan escaped him. Helga's hands ceased their movement, surprised by the small, but very distinctive moan she had just heard. She quickly continued before he could make any excuses, forcing another moan out of him. _Here?_ She questioned in surprise and let her fingers ghost over his lower back and once they were almost around his stomach, he moaned again. _Interesting…_ She thought foggily and put more pressure on her hands and she glided them up towards his shoulders again. He felt her lift herself from his backside again and he imagined her arching her back above him.

_This… This is making me less tense, but I'm not more relaxed._ Arnold observed as a part of him twitched when Helga's fingers ghosted over his hips again. _Damn it! She's doing it on purpose!_ He thought in frustration and turned his head to the side to shoot her a dirty look, but it didn't turn dirty the way he had intended. When he saw that lewd expression on her face, all he could think about was wanting to feel her hands on his hips again along with every other part of his body she would like to touch.

Helga gulped when she saw the way Arnold was looking at her; his eyes were full of awe and lust. It was too much. "T-Turn around." She ordered gently and removed her hands from him. "Huh?" he mumbled in surprise, but his mind was too foggy to let him go shy. "I-I want to massage your pectorals too…" she admitted, but also lied. In reality, she just wanted to see his face. In the back of Arnold's mind, he wondered what pectorals even were and whether he would know the answer if he had been in a different situation and capable of thinking logically. When she rose herself on her knees though, unknowing of the view she was giving him of her inner thighs, he turned around obediently, much too eagerly for his own good.

Helga felt as if she was crossing the point of no return when she sank herself on Arnold's lower abdomen. They both gasped. _He's hard! Well, doi, but still!_ She thought and gulped as she seated herself properly. She could feel Arnold's thighs shaking behind her and she took a deep breath. "Don't do that." she warned a little desperately. When he managed to open his eyes again, she leaned forward with her hands, making sure that she kept staying seated where she was. Her right hand helped the left apply more pressure on his shoulder as it slid down over his naked chest and pulled it back towards herself. It was a little silly; getting excited over seeing a boy's chest. It wasn't like it was anything special, really. It was the same thing as going to the beach… but Helga's eyes kept darting around over his chest behind those half-closed eyelids of hers. He wasn't muscular, but he had defined lines. He was toned and his skin felt warm, soft and yet firm beneath her palms.

Arnold wasn't sure whether he wanted to shut his eyes tight and just pray that he could get through this without embarrassing himself or keep looking at Helga hovering above him. Her leather dress didn't have any straps, so it didn't have anything to hold itself up other than her breasts and it was slowly starting to fall down a little bit. Her skin that had been cold before they had started this was now heating up and a few droplets of sweat were traveling from her beck and in-between her breasts. He felt himself twitch and if her gasp was anything to go by, she had felt it too.

Helga slowly opened her eyes and looked at Arnold who was flushed with embarrassment because of his own body. She bit on her lower lip and realized that the temptation too great for her to resist; she let her hips move above him, earning a groan from him. His hands went to her thighs, his nails starting to dig into her them. She gasped at the dull pain and put her hands over his as she moved again. "H-Helga… you're… doing that on purpose, right?" he asked with a husky voice, but she didn't answer as she just kept grinding on him.

Arnold gasped at a particular hard thrust from Helga's hips and his nails dug harder into her flesh. Her hands over his moved to his chest and then she stilled. They panted as they gazed at each other, their hearts beating so harshly that it was a miracle they couldn't hear them. Helga felt Arnold's hands moving up her thighs and when she looked down, she saw his fingers crawling up under her dress, which was already hanging unceremoniously over her thighs. Her hands went to his lower abdomen and they rested there as his hands kept slithering up her stomach and only stopped when they were right beneath her chest.

In the way back of Arnold's mind, he noticed that Helga wasn't wearing a bra, but didn't give it much thought. She gasped when his hands continued and she fell forward until her face was right in front of his. His hands had been forced up all the way to her breasts and they were now looking expectantly at each other. "Did you… honestly think that… this wouldn't happen…?" Arnold asked, not accusingly, but in wonder. Helga shook her head in honesty and then dipped down to kiss him. He groaned into the kiss and his hands started pulling on her breasts, wanting her to come even closer to him.

Helga gasped when Arnold's hands eagerly began to squeeze her breasts and she wondered in the back of her mind if it wouldn't have been easier for him to pull the dress down rather than forcing his hands beneath the tight dress. He seemed to think the same thing because suddenly his hands pulled out of her dress and she whined a little at the loss of contact until his fingers grabbed the top of her dress. He stopped though and looked questioningly at her. Since she wasn't glaring at him, but was rather begging him with her eyes, he slowly pulled her dress down.

Helga gasped when the cold hit her now bare chest and she shivered a little bit. "Cold?" Arnold asked with his eyes glued on her erect nipples. She chuckled inwardly at the way he almost seemed hypnotized by her half-naked body, but on the outside simply nodded to his question. Within two seconds, Arnold had put his hand on her now bare back and had pulled her down to his level. Helga's fingers curled into a fist when his mouth kissed her breast softly. When his tongue darted out and licked two small circles around her nipple, those moans she had managed to keep inaudible beforehand turned into one long groan.

Arnold leaned back and smiled at the way Helga's face was churned in a mix of excitement and embarrassment. "Warmer?" he asked smugly and she growled at him. "Very funny, Mr. Shortman!" she told him as she grabbed his wrists and pinned him down. She hadn't even realized that in the process, she had grinded against his pelvis and thereby causing a loud gasp to emit from him. Reacting by instinct, Helga put her free hand over his mouth, her other still managing to have a hold of both his wrists above his head.

"Criminy, could you be any louder?" Helga asked in a hiss and Arnold frowned at her. She then felt something twitch behind her and she turned to look, even though she knew what it was she felt. "Oh… I want to apologize, but I have a feeling that I didn't exactly hurt you…" She answered, as she looked at him again, smirking gleefully. He rolled his eyes in slight annoyance, but it quickly turned into a pleasured expression brought by her hips grinding against his again, this time much slower and definitely deliberately. "Ooh, this is gonna be fun…"

Arnold's eyes widened in slight horror at that very familiar, mischievous smirk Helga was showing him and surely enough, she started grinding harshly on him and her hand quickly became the only thing that kept him quiet. She could hear him growl in a mix of heated anger and lust and the way he was looking at her, made her wonder if he was pleading with her to stop or continue forevermore.

"Oh, don't give me that look…" Helga pleaded artificially and Arnold simply kept frowning, small sounds emitting from his muffled mouth. "Can't hear you." she teased and in reaction, he bucked upwards roughly, causing her to gasp. She looked at him nervously when the smug smirk was suddenly on his face. She couldn't see it behind her hand, but she _knew_ it was there. _Well, crap._ She thought when she realized that the tables had turned. Her hold on his mouth tightened in warning, but he still started to buck up against her, rolling his hips beneath hers. She didn't bother trying to stop him because, damn, it felt just a little too good and she could see that he was enjoying it just as much.

As the pleasure started to make Helga's mind hazy, her hold on Arnold's wrists loosened. When he finally noticed that fact, he pulled his hands away from under her. She gasped for a moment, about to crash down onto him, until he turned the both of them around and she landed safely under the silk robe instead. Her legs were sprawled over his bended knees and with a smirk, he pulled on her hips until she was nestled against his groin. The excited purr she made caused him to shiver with want and he leaned down to press himself more firmly against her.

Helga had half the mind to tell Arnold to do what they both wanted and then to hell with the play for another few minutes; or how long either would last, but she was incapable of saying anything when his mouth met hers with so much fervor that she started shivering. Her back arched, as much as it could since it was already halfway off the ground because of their position, and she threw her head back. She was too proud to ask him to do what she wanted, but she didn't need to; Arnold seemed just as desperate to touch her as she wanted him to and it his mouth threw sloppy kisses all around her chest.

Helga wasn't ready to give in just yet though; this little fight for dominance had turned on a flame inside her stomach and seeing how much Arnold wanted her, simply added more fuel to the fire. With sudden strength, she crossed her ankles and tightened her thighs around his waist. His hot breath hit her throat in shock and he lifted his head to look at her, one heated gaze meeting the other. Their lips met, this time more softly, almost tenderly. Helga's fingers slid into his hair, caressing the locks with so much care that he smiled into the kiss. Feeling that fire stir within her again, she bucked violently up against him, ruining the gentleness. Somehow, this small tender moment had just added fuel to her more sadistic side.

Arnold groaned against Helga's throat and his hands went to her hips to follow her grinding. As the humping turned rougher, Helga suddenly noticed something she probably should have felt sooner: they were _wet._ As in _very_ wet. _Oh, dear God. The dress will get ruined, won't it? Won't it…? Uh… Oh!_ "Oh!" Helga put her thoughts into a long moan when Arnold had bucked more roughly against her and now continued. "A-Arnold…!" she gasped when she felt that very familiar hot pool of wanton gathering in her lower stomach. She felt her muscles tighten and one touch on her breast from Arnold turned out to be the crossing of the line. Upon seeing Helga arching her back and hearing her gasp, he rode out his orgasm as well and then fell onto her body, their limps sprawled all around as they tried to collect energy as quickly as possible.

"Well… I'll never be able to look at this room again." Helga stated with a husky voice. Arnold chuckled hoarsely and attempted to get up on his knees. With some help from Helga, he got himself standing up and then helped her. "Criminy…" she muttered as she pulled the dress up and looked at herself in the mirror. "Bed-hair without even having been on a bed. Great." She observed and went to the mirror to try to fix herself up. Arnold watched her as she did so and she noticed his reflection in the mirror. "How are _you_ feeling?" she asked with a smirk. "I'm guessing you must be a little sticky…"

Arnold blushed slightly; he couldn't manage a full-blown blush at this point. He looked down and sighed in relief when he saw that there was no evidence of what they had just done, but he could feel it. "Black pants saves the day…" he answered shyly and walked towards the small bathroom. Helga watched him as he walked away, but then turned her head to look at the clock. "Hm. A minute left…" she stated mostly to herself rather than anyone else and readjusted her dress a little more. _I want a shower… or at least a change of panties._ She thought and sighed since that was impossible.

Helga waited patiently for Arnold to walk out of the restroom and when he did, his skin seemed a little moister than before. She quirked an eyebrow as he looked at her in surprise. He clearly hadn't expected her to be waiting for him. "Did you splash your face with water?" she asked curiously and he nodded. "Did it help?" she questioned and he nodded again. She then walked past him into the restroom and turned on the cold water. With an unceremonious splash, she covered her face and chest in the cold water and turned the faucet off again. "Oh, yeah…" she sighed and turned around. "That feels good."

Arnold gulped as he watched the water droplets fall down Helga's cheeks and down her throat and chest. She was about to walk past him again when she noticed his stare. "Arnold, as flattering as it is, we really don't have time to get horny again." she teased and clapped his cheek gently. He frowned shyly, took her hand and then leaned forward to kiss her. She made a small surprised sound, but then kissed him back for a short moment. With a smile, she pulled back and dragged him with her by his hand.

Once they were out on the actual stage again, Helga gave Arnold's hand a secretive squeeze before letting go. They smiled at each other before they approached the edge of the stage and the director noticed them. "You calmed down?" he asked and the blondes smiled secretly at each other again. "Oh, yeah." Helga answered, earning a small elbow from Arnold. The director arched an eyebrow at the way Helga was smiling, but he decided to ignore it for the time being. "From the top then."

Helga and Arnold said their lines perfectly, feeling only slightly nervous from the intimacy they knew they had to share for the next part of the scene. The heat was gone, but the passion was there and they didn't have to fake anything when Adrasteia was scheduled to moan into the kiss and finally give herself to Aiden. Her hands went into his hair, her hips swaying against him as his hand caressed her bare thigh. He then turned them around with his hand still on her thigh and started to lower her down. Elegantly, almost inhumanly gracefully, they landed on the floor and the imaginary curtain would fall.

A roar of cheers and whistles echoed in the auditorium and both Arnold and Helga smiled as they helped each other standing up. "Much, _much_ better." The director complimented as he clapped along with the other actors and dancers. "Could someone turn on the air conditioner?" Maria asked teasingly and waved her hand near her cheek. "Oh, shut it!" Helga retorted with a smirk of her own and leaned closer to Arnold. "We have the day off tomorrow." She reminded him and he smiled, as he knew what she was going to suggest. "So, how about that date?"

* * *

Arnold would be lying if he said that he wasn't hoping for something to happen between himself and Helga again on this date, but he was not going attempt anything. He wanted to have a regular date with her; movie, dinner and maybe just walking home together. He really wished for something simple and normal to happen between them, but he had this nagging feeling that wasn't going to happen. First of all, almost nothing about Helga was normal or simple, which was a trait he knew he liked even if it also scared him that he couldn't foresee her actions to anything. In the end, he just had _one_ wish: to have a fun night with her.

Arnold went to Helga's house with bouncy steps and rang the doorbell. He had made sure he looked proper before leaving the house, but nothing too formal like they had agreed. A pair of black pants, shoes and a dark blue dress shirt with a tie. She had once mentioned to him that ties suited him so he hoped that counted for more than whether it was considered too formal than what they had planned. He had expected Helga to open the door, but it was Big Bob Pataki, he saw in front of him.

Color drained from Arnold's face and he suddenly felt like a frightened schoolboy who was standing in front of his girlfriend's dad for the first time. "G-Good evening, Mr. Pataki. It's been a long time." He said nervously and extended his hand. Bob looked at him curiously before taking it. "A long time? Have I met you before, kid?" he asked and Arnold sighed. "I have been in your daughter's class since she was three." He said, having mixed feelings about the fact that Bob couldn't remember him. He was about to remind him that he was talking about his youngest daughter and not the oldest, but Bob beat him to it. "Ah, the orphan boy from Helga's class."

The word stung, but not nearly as much as it had the first time, Arnold had heard it. The worst part now though was that he had in fact been an orphan. Back then, they didn't know, but that word had repeated itself over and over again when he was at his darkest. "Ok, big daddy, go back to your football game!" Helga's voice suddenly boomed and Arnold couldn't help but smile at the irony. Helga had apologized for her father's behavior back in fourth grade, albeit rather clumsily, she had been the one to get him out of his room back when he found out his parents were dead and now she was saving him from being forced to _catch up_ with Big Bob Pataki.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't order me around, young lady." Bob said and stepped to the side in order to see his daughter behind him. Arnold gulped when he saw her standing there with her arms crossed, but that posture wasn't anything new; it was her clothes he was looking at. The first thing he saw were they thigh high black socks. Somehow, those socks, along with that blue, plaid skirt, made him want her even more than when her legs had been fully bare the day before. She was also wearing a black vest with a flipped collar, thereby showing off her throat, arms and a decent amount of chest. _Decent_, because he could see cleavage, but not as much as he would probably want to… if they were alone at least. The vest cut into an upside-down V and showed off very little of her stomach, it was in fact only her naval piercing he could see, but it was enough to have his blood boil. Her hair was also tied into a high ponytail, which just made her creamy skin all that more apparent.

Helga leaned back, looking inside the living room towards the noisy TV. "They're losing, Bob." She told him and Bob ran past her. "They wouldn't dare!" he declared loudly and she snickered as she approached Arnold, jerking her head towards the director where Bob has just went. "Sorry about the jerk." She told him and he smiled. "I'm used to it." he replied and she cocked an eyebrow. "Because of me?" she asked and panic flooded in his eyes. "N-No, that's not what I - - "

"I'm kidding! Sheesh, don't have a heart attack." Helga interrupted, put her hand on Arnold's cheek and kissed him sweetly. He sighed into the kiss, his stomach getting filled with butterflies before she pulled back and let her eyes wanted over his body. He felt a little vulnerable until she seemed to feel shy as well. "We match…" She observed, as she looked at his shirt and at her words, he looked down at her skirt. He then looked at her again and pulled her into another kiss, which took her about a second of surprise before she responded.

"Who was at the door, sweety?" a slurred voice asked and Helga leaned away from Arnold, shutting her eyes tight. "_Fuck._" She cursed and turned. "It's Arnold, Miriam." She answered the wobbling woman who was walking through the house with a glass of something pink and chunky in her glass. Arnold's hand stayed on Helga's lower back as if trying to tell her that it was ok for him to say hello to her mother. She didn't need to be embarrassed. "Oh, the little boy you used to have such a crush on?" she asked with an awkward smile.

Arnold looked at Helga in surprise and the girl herself looked ready to faint. "Ok, Miriam. We're heading out. Have a nice evening, ok?" she said and with inhuman speed, pushed Arnold out of the door and closed the door behind her. She sighed in exasperation and then looked at Arnold who was trying to hold back a smile. "How did Miriam find out you liked me?" he asked with a hidden snicker and she sighed. "Look, Arnold. My mom is a drunk, but she's… oddly observant." She answered before taking his hand and started to walk with him. "Typical. I was about to suggest skipping the movie and asking you to my room, but there's not a chance those two would leave us alone."

"Ask me to…?" Arnold repeated and upon the sight of Helga's smug smile, he blushed. "Your goal in life is to make me embarrassed, isn't it?" he asked with a shy frown and she chuckled as she put her free hand on his shoulder, thereby leaning into him. "I admit; it is rather fun." She confessed as they walked. She let her head stay there for a moment, mostly just to smell his hair in secret. _I really need to find out what shampoo he is using._ She thought and then removed her head from his shoulder in order to look at him. "So, any thoughts on what movie we should pick?"

"Hmm… just for the nostalgia, how about we go to watch the new Evil Twin movie?"

"You're kidding! They're still making those?"

"Yup."

"Man… you gotta wonder how many more scenarios they can make with that theme. Evil Twin… What's the twist this time?"

"The Evil Twin is a girl."

"Ooh, trying to attract the male and lesbian audience, are they?" Helga wondered artificially and Arnold quirked an eyebrow at her words. "What? Lesbians can be just as perverted as straight men, believe me."

"How do you know?"

"What do you mean; how do I know? I'm a tomboy, Arnold. That confuses some people, even lesbians sometimes."

"So… girls have hit on you?"

"Yup, on several occasions actually. Interestingly enough, some of them have been sleazier than some boys I have met."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's like because they're girls themselves they can get away with more or they at least think so… there was this one girl that actually asked me if I needed milk in my drink." Helga answered with her face scrunched in disgust and Arnold did the same. "Oh, God!" he exclaimed and started laughing. "I didn't even know how to respond to that so I just threw my drink at her like some pissy bitch in a movie and left the bar. I was _done_ partying that night." She continued and started laughing as well. "I would have loved to see that." He admitted and she cocked an eyebrow at him. "_Pervert._"

"Huh…? Wait. No! That's not why - - "

"I know, I know!" Helga interrupted and slung her arm over Arnold's shoulders and he automatically grabbed her hand when she did as if he was afraid she would fall if he didn't. "Criminy, you really make it too easy to tease you." she continued and smiled at him. He blinked a couple of times, recognizing the stare she was giving him. He leaned closer and so did she until their lips met. He felt her hand travel up his chest until it was on the side of his neck and she moaned as she pulled him closer.

They parted after about a minute, albeit reluctantly, but as humans they needed oxygen. _I really, really, really would rather just be somewhere alone with him… but it's probably a good idea to have a normal date with him… at least this first time._ Helga thought and took Arnold's hand in hers again. "L-Let's go." She suggested in a hoarse voice. She coughed to get rid of the croak while he laughed gently. "Yeah…" he said with a warm voice. "Sure."

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: I don't know what to say! Um… anyone else who bought Sims 4? xD**


	14. Junto a mí

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After a humiliating attempt at doing one of the most sensual scenes in Roadside Girl, Helga and Arnold decided it was time to let loose at least for a moment. What should have been an innocent massage in an attempt at getting some stress out of their systems quickly turned into something more scandalous when the blondes experiences their first orgasms together. As a way of celebrating, Helga decided it was time to go on that date they had talked about.**_

**Author's 1st note: Sorry it took so long…! Again… xD I blame school! And Sims 4… I blame Sims 4 too xD Why a Spanish title for the chapter, you ask? You'll find out at the end! :P**

**Oh, and please do play the song I have written in the second author's note when the time is right during the chapter :3 Mostly for your own amusement.**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 14: "Junto a mí"

After Arnold had come to pick Helga up, they had decided upon watching the next movie in the horror saga called Evil Twin. On their way, Helga had admitted not to have followed up on the series since she moved away from Hillwood so Arnold had made it his duty to colorfully explain the former movies. Once they were inside the Kiska, Helga was laughing louder than what was decent in public.

"Oh, my God! Just clean off?" Helga repeated as Arnold held the door open for her and she inwardly rolled her eyes, but also swooned at his gallant behavior. "Yes, it was like the ending scene from Kill Bill." He replied and shook visibly as he followed her inside. "You've seen that?" she questioned and he shook his head. "No. Gerald tried to make me watch it with him after showing me the ending scene. Needless to say, it didn't work." He replied. "It would have surprised me if you of all people would have liked Kill Bill." She retorted and went towards the row furthest away from the screen.

"Why are we sitting in the back?" Arnold asked and Helga suddenly leaned backwards so he could see her face. The pink locks in her blonde hair tickled his face for a bit when she had swung her head down, but she still had his full attention even as he was scratching his nose. "Wake up, Arnold. These are the snuggle seats." She replied with a wink and swung her head back up again. He blushed as he watched her sitting down nonchalantly and he hesitated to sit down for a moment. "You're…" he started and she looked up at him. "You're teasing me… right?"

Helga blinked a couple of times, dragging out her answer deliberately. "Sure." She then replied and looked back on the screen. Arnold frowned in uneasiness. "That's not a very reliable answer." He muttered and she chuckled. "Oh, don't tell me you're afraid of little old me?" she asked with a pout and he felt his heart beat once, but roughly at the sight. "No…" he insisted and sat down in a rather puerile manner, his arms crossed. _I… played right into her hands, didn't I?_ He wondered before she let her head fall to his shoulder. He felt her hair tickle his chin and he smiled. _Maybe that's not so bad…_

"You any good at the trivia questions?" Helga asked in a small voice and Arnold looked up at the screen. "Not really… I don't quiz well on these things. You?" he asked and tried to look at her, but all he could see was the top of her head. "Depends on the question." She admitted and he snorted. "Doi." He retorted and she leaned up to look at him. "Did _you_ just say 'doi'?" she asked in disbelief and he shrugged innocently. "You're rubbing off on me." He explained and she chuckled as she put her head on his shoulder again. "Let's see… _Johnny Depp cruised to success in this comedy-action film inspired by a Disney land attraction._" She read and then looked expectantly at Arnold. "_Pirates of the Caribbean_." He replied without any hesitation and she pet his head teasingly. "Good boy."

Arnold rolled his eyes. "_Steven Spielberg directed this modern retelling of the H. G. Wells classic: 'War of the…'_ blank." He read and frowned. "Uh…" he mumbled and Helga made a gasp. "Bad!" she scolded and smacked his head. "Ow!" he exclaimed and started to rub his now sore head as he frowned at her. "Steven Spielberg, _War of the worlds_! How can you not know that?" she asked in disbelief. "How am I supposed to know?" he asked and that just made her shake her head. "I am not talking to you anymore." She declared and turned her back to him, about to stand up.

"Oh, come on!" Arnold begged in a laugh and grabbed Helga around her waist. With a shriek, she fell backwards and the back of her head landed on his lap. Luckily, the seats didn't have any armrests so she didn't get hurt when she fell. Helga looked up at Arnold and blinked in surprise as he started blushing as well. "Why, Arnold. In the cinema?" she asked teasingly, but he was in too much shock to respond. When she started to nuzzle her head against his groin though, he grabbed her hand in order to get her sitting up again, but she simply snaked her hand around him so that she grabbed his wrist instead and then put his hand on one of her breasts.

"Helga! We're in public!" Arnold hissed, but she just snorted at him as she let go of his hand. "Barely." She stated before she swung her leg over the other, her black ankle booth dangling lazily next to her thigh near the seat. "Look around, Arnold. It's the last time they're showing Evil Twin, that's how long it has been out so we're basically the only ones here." She pointed out. Arnold stretched his neck and looked at the seats in front of them. Helga was right; there were only like five heads in the distance, but the feeling of her fingers starting to slide up his arm under his shirt still made him cautious.

Arnold started feeling ticklish and his hand moved down Helga's chest until it reached her stomach. He opened his eyes in wonder when he felt her navel-piercing hit the tip of his fingers. He felt her buck up against his hand in surprise, her own hand stilling on his arm. He looked at the piercing for a moment. It was a pair of wings with a skull in the middle. Somehow, it seemed perfect. Sweet like an angel, but hotter than Hell.

"Did it hurt?" Arnold asked absentmindedly and Helga blinked a couple of times before she looked up at him. "This hurt more." She replied as she showed the silver ball on her tongue. He gazed absentmindedly at her for a long moment and didn't even realize he had leaned down before he felt that familiar metal along his own tongue. Her hand slid up to the nape of his neck in a somewhat awkward, twisted position, but she loved the feeling of his soft hair in-between her fingers. She could feel his… _enthusiasm_ start to poke gently against her neck and her confidence leapt to the air. _Oh, Arnold… Your mind is innocent, but your body isn't._ She thought as she let her piercing tease his lips, which made him groan.

Despite having his eyes closed, Arnold did feel the lights go out. He lifted his head and saw a man looking at him with a questionable look. Arnold smiled awkwardly and arched his back, while the man, whom Arnold presumed worked at the Kiska, gave him a warning look and then closed the door. Arnold sighed in relief and leaned his head back on the headrest as he heard Helga chuckle near his stomach. "We were spotted, Helga…" He mumbled mostly as a statement rather than an accusation. He felt Helga move on his lap a bit and assumed she was about to get off so when he felt her mouth on his stomach, he jolted violently.

"Helga, what are you doing?" Arnold asked in a whisper as Helga used her left hand to open the lowest button on his shirt and then kissed his lower stomach. "Really, Arnold? You don't know?" she questioned before exhaling slowly and deliberately against his bare skin and he shivered. "You know what I mean! W-What if someone sees?" he asked in a hiss and looked around frantically, but it seemed like the few people in front of them were oblivious. "So it's ok as long as no one sees?" Helga asked teasingly and he huffed. "That's not what I - - " he retorted, but cut his sentence short when she kissed his naval.

The hand of Helga's right arm, which she at some unknown point had sneaked over his lap so that she was lying sideways on him, slithered up his back beneath his shirt. He arched his back as her warm fingers tickled his spine. He had felt those talented fingers only the day before, but his skin remembered her touch. The way he could feel her palm at all times, but only her fingers discontinuously whenever she would let them tap across his skin had him question his manners because he really didn't want her to stop.

This internal conflict had Arnold in a moral turmoil because while he was turned on within an inch of his life, he was also angry with Helga at the same level for starting something now of all times. Right now when he couldn't let his body relax into her touch or let his voice out. He could barely enjoy it because he had to hold back and for that, he was angry… but Helga's insistent fingers seemed to drag the rage away and replace it with hot arousal.

When Helga's mouth kissed the hem of Arnold's jeans, he felt that he had to say something. "H-How far do you intend to take this?" he questioned and she looked up at him with suspiciously innocent eyes. He watched her with slight horror on his face as the childlike smile turned into a vicious grin. Her tongue licked his naked flesh while her hands went around his hipbones. "You're sensitive here…" she whispered against his stomach and bit him gently, causing him to flinch a bit. _How has she already noticed that? Lila dated me for a year and she never noticed! Why is Helga of all people so observant?_ He wondered in embarrassment, while her fingers caressed his waist.

Arnold's eyes widened when he heard the sound of his zipper opening. "Helga!" he whispered and grabbed her hand to stop her. She looked up at him, waiting for him to explain and he gave her a look of disbelief, saying. 'You really need to ask?' He sighed in relief as she did indeed just wait for him to talk rather than carrying on with her… rather tempting task. "If you do that… there's no way we won't get busted!" he hissed and she rolled her eyes, about to pull his pants down until he stopped her hands yet again. "Also… we're in public. _Please_. Would-Wouldn't you be embarrassed if we were caught too or do you have no shame?"

Helga quirked an eyebrow at Arnold's, in her opinion, rather feeble attempt at turning the tables on her. "Trying to have _me_ feel _your_ embarrassment? Not working, Shortman." She retorted and he sighed. "Besides…" she continued and sat down on her knees on the floor between his legs. His world seemed to stop for a moment as her mouth kissed his hardness through the boxers. "I don't think you really want me to stop." She stated confidently and then pulled his pants swiftly down to his knees.

Arnold was about to make one last logical comment when Helga's hands went to his hips again and pulled him towards her a little roughly. He made a small gasp in surprise and noticed the heads in front of him turning. He pretended not to notice them and looked at the screen, which he for the first time noticed wasn't black anymore. _When did the movie even start?_ He wondered before he bit down on his lips when Helga bit down on another part of his anatomy. _This is insane! We're in a cinema! In the Kiska, even! We-We used to come here as children. Gerald has been sitting here next to me, how many times by now? I can never go in here again without thinking of Helga on her knees in front of - - oh, God!_ Arnold's thoughts went fuzzy when a warm, wet tongue lapped at his now even barer skin. When had she even pulled it out?

Arnold forced his eyes to look at the screen, tried to focus on anything else but what was going on between his legs, but it was easier said than done. His knuckles turned white because he was digging his fingers into the seat. The feeling the velour under his fingernails was a rather dull pain compared to the heat flooding in his lower abdomen. He started biting down on his lower lip, trying to make the pain greater than the pleasure. Before he knew it, he could taste a bit of blood on his tongue and stopped biting. That meant that he could now feel Helga's mouth engulfing him again.

"Shit!" Arnold hissed a little too loudly at a particularly hard bop from Helga and two heads turned around to look at him. He forced his eyes to the screen again, but could see the dark faces looking at him for a moment before whispering to each other. Arnold shut his eyes tight, hoping that they were just thinking he was being a sissy according to the movie. What was the movie again? Oh, right. Evil twin. Horror. Scary… Indeed very scary, he thought as some blood rained down the screen and a few gasps were heard. He didn't even have it in him to wonder who just died: the red-haired bimbo or the blonde airhead?

Arnold inhaled and exhaled as slowly as he could and then looked down at Helga, which he quickly realized was a huge mistake. One thing was to feel it, which was definitely the most powerful aphrodisiac, but to suddenly see it; Helga with her pink lips around him, sucking eagerly; it was too much. He groaned and his hand quickly went to cover his mouth when he saw the heads turning again. The auditorium was too dark to see them properly, but he could see that they were definitely looking oddly at him. They turned to talk to each other again and he exhaled in relief.

Arnold's relief was short-termed though when he saw one of the figures in the distance standing up. He watched the shadow for a moment and realized it was headed towards them. "Helga, someone's coming!" he whispered in panic. She reacted so quickly that he had to replay the next few seconds in his head in order to understand what had just happened. She had stood up from the floor, sat down next to him so that she would be closer to whomever was approaching them and then swung her legs over his lap, successfully covering his exposed body.

Arnold looked at Helga in surprised as she kissed his cheek, pretending to have been watching the movie all along. Arnold could see the figure, whom he could now see was an older man, in his peripheral vision. The elderly looked at them for a moment and then walked out of the door. Both Arnold and Helga sighed in relief and Helga started chuckling in a low voice. "Close call." She whispered in his ear and licked the shell of it. He shuttered for a moment before his eyes, yet again, went wide.

"You're continuing?" Arnold asked in incredulity as Helga sat down on her knees again. "If I stop now, wouldn't it be rather painful for you?" she asked teasingly and he gulped. He couldn't really deny that. He turned to look at the door the older man had just walked out of though. "But what about when he comes back?" he asked. "Oh, relax. Men in that age take two minutes just to _start_ peeing." She pointed out and he looked at her curiously. "How do you know that's what he's doing?" he asked and she rolled her eyes. "Why else would you walk out of a theatre in the middle of the movie?"

Arnold found himself lacking of a qualified answer and made a low gasp when Helga's lips kissed his smaller head and he looked down at her again. "Besides… with how hard _this_ is…" she whispered and made one solid lick from the base to the tip and Arnold had to cover his mouth with his hand again. "I think we're finished before he is." She finished and stopped talking. She was right; he could already feel it. He kept his hand over his mouth, starting to fear this particular part. _Can I really be quiet enough?_ He wondered and jolted when her tongue rolled around him and he gasped through his nose. "H-Helga… I-I'm gonna…"

Helga's hands went to Arnold's thighs, telling him that she had heard him. His jaw started to hurt as his hold on his mouth strengthened and his other hand went to the velour seat again. His hips started bucking, but Helga held him down by his thighs and hips and luckily, she was strong enough to hold him down so that he didn't choke her. They both made a bit of a strangled sound before Arnold finally fell back in the seat, practically disappearing into it.

Arnold was in absolute bliss when he felt a sharp light at his closed eyes. He barely managed to open his eyes before he heard Helga curse and the feeling of her hands pulling his jeans back up and clumsily zipping his pants. He turned his head to the side, recognizing the older man who was now with another younger man who was holding a flashlight and pointing it towards them. "Come on!" Helga ordered, grabbed Arnold's hand and started running. He was so confused right then that he barely heard the man behind them scolding them.

Helga pulled Arnold out of the auditorium through the other exit and kept running until they were out on the street. She didn't stop until they had turned into an alley and were safe. The truth finally dawned on him and he fell to the ground, feeling Helga sit down in front of him. They panted in unison until she started chuckling. He looked at her a little angrily and she stopped laughing for about two seconds until the full-blown laugh started again. "You're crazy!" he scolded, but started laughing too, albeit more embarrassedly and put his hand on the nape of her neck. "They saw us!"

"_Us_? They saw my face and your - - "

"Helga!" Arnold interrupted and sighed when they both finally stopped laughing. They tried to steady their breathing for about a minute until he put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her lovingly. When he pulled back, she smiled. "You do realize you just came in my mouth?" she asked and his face scrunched in a bit of disgust, but then he chuckled and shook his head. "I think I'll live." He retorted and kissed her again.

With a smile, Helga grabbed Arnold's hand and pulled him up. "I don't think they will let us back in." she muttered and started to pull him with her. He huffed and nodded in agreement. "How was the movie anyway?" she asked and he chuckled. "How would I know?" he asked sarcastically and thought that for once, he could be the one with the last comment. "Hey, _you_ were the one facing the screen." She pointed out and he halted in his steps to shoot her a slanted, but flushed look. She just looked at him for a moment before she let her free hand pet his head. "This is your own fault."

"How so?" Arnold asked with a frown. "Bad karma." Helga replied and he quirked a curious eyebrow. "You tried to sneak in the Kiska without paying once and now you are forever doomed." She explained with a grin and started to walk again. He kept frowning for a moment, but then broke into a grin himself. "Bad karma, you call it…" he muttered and she shrugged. "I'm your bad karma too." She admitted and they chuckled for a moment.

"So, we're obviously skipping the movie… Wanna head to dinner then?"

"Yeah, but let's go somewhere with some sort of entertainment. I'm in mood of some."

Arnold and Helga walked around in Hillwood for about a half hour. They chatted about what they had been up to during the last seven years. Helga talked about her school and her experiences with the acting world, while Arnold spoke mostly about Hillwood, their old friends and what they were up to now, if he knew. "Why doesn't it surprise me that Nadine became a biologist?" Helga wondered aloud in artificial awe. "Because she was one when we were children already?" Arnold suggested and she chuckled.

"Remember when I asked her to bring her cockroaches to Chez Paris so we wouldn't have to pay?"

"Oh, right! Why did you do that anyway? Didn't you have a coupon for that place?"

"Wrong restaurant… The coupon was for Chez Pierre."

"Oh… Huh, so even _you_ can be a bit of an airhead?"

"Hey, be fair! Rather than what damn French restaurant we went to, I was more focused on - - " Helga retorted, but managed to stop herself before she went any further with her unconscious confession. "More focused on… what?" Arnold probed curiously, but the way his smile was crooked told her that he knew more than he led on. "Nothing of importance." She insisted, but she knew she was fighting a lost battle. "Nothing of importance? It was important enough for you not to pay attention to the name of the restaurant though." He mocked in a singsong voice.

"Listen here, Shortman. If we have to get through every single one of my secrets through the years, it's gonna be a long night."

"Fine." Arnold responded and Helga blinked in surprise. "_Fine_? You'd… be willing to spend the entire night with me just to hear some secrets of mine?" she asked and he shrugged innocently. "I want to get to know you a little more." He explained and that caught her so much by surprise that she stopped walking. "But… you've known me since I was three." She reminded him and he smiled. "Well, yes… but I've realized lately that… I actually don't know that much about you. We were barely friends as children and we haven't seen each other in seven years. I… I want to know you… properly."

Helga felt her face flushing. The memory of that young, insecure girl who wanted nothing more than the boy in front of her to even notice her was now telling her that he wanted to get to know her. She looked away, hoping to hide her blush at least a little bit and saw a restaurant close by. Music was pouring out of every window and it looked like just the entertainment she needed. "Fine…" she agreed and smirked as she pulled him towards the restaurant. "But if we're gonna go through the many secrets of Helga Pataki, I'll need a drink."

* * *

"Through the vents?!"

"How else if I didn't want you to see me?"

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Probably, but I've never gotten hurt." Helga replied with a shrug and sipped from her sangria. Arnold was shaking his head in disbelief. "To quote Gerald: you are one bold kid." He said and let his glass clink with hers. "Gerald calls me that?" she questioned in confusion, but he shook his head. "No, he calls _me_ that." he explained. "Why?" she asked simply, in slight incredulity and even chuckled at the thought, which he frowned at. "Mr. Goody-two-shoes bold?" she questioned again. "Did I miss something during our childhood?"

"Hey, I'm not that much a goody-two-shoes."

"Yeah, right. Arnold, you play it safe and there's nothing wrong with that. I gotta question Gerald's observation skills though for calling you bold."

"It's not like I'm boring, right?"

"I never said you were! First of all, a boring person would never have let me do what I did in the Kiska… but you _are_ blushing right now at the thought." Helga stated when she saw the red tint spreading across Arnold's cheeks. "I'm not a prude either." He insisted in embarrassment and she held her hands up in apology. "I never said that either! Criminy, defensive much?" she teased and turned to look at the Spanish band playing up on the small stage next to them.

Indeed, why was Arnold being defensive? It wasn't like what Helga was saying was untrue; he did like to play it safe most of the time, even more so than when he was a child. He had always been a careful guy, sensitive and shy, liked his rigorous routine. It was only around Helga he truly took any chance. When did he become so boring?

When a series of claps started, Arnold automatically started clapping rather mechanically. The Spanish woman on the stage made some odd noise that Arnold couldn't even describe, but the crowd kept cheering loudly. She started speaking in Spanish and Arnold frowned as he looked at Helga who looked back at him. "Any chance you know Spanish?" she asked with a bit of a laugh and he shook his head. "Well, damn." She muttered and looked at the woman, who kept speaking in Spanish, but she suddenly said a word Helga recognized: bailando.

Helga looked at Arnold, who seemed to know the word as well and some people in the crowd started cheering. _I guess those people know Spanish._ She thought and noticed how a few couples had just stood up and were taking each other's hands. "What's going on?" Arnold questioned, but stood up himself. "You're asking what's going on and yet you're following them like a sheep?" Helga asked, took his hand and let him lead her to the open floor. He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. "You're one to talk; you're following _me_."

Helga frowned for a moment, but then made the same noise of a sheep, causing Arnold to laugh and a few people to give her weird looks. All the couples each found a spot on the wooden floor with enough room around them so that they weren't cramped. A bunch of people were still seated, but about five couples were out on the floor. The Spanish woman kept speaking as she went into a dancing position with one of the males on the stage. "Wait…" Helga said and leaned to whisper in Arnold's ear. "Are they going to teach us to tango or something?"

Arnold sighed a bit as he put his hand on her hip and used the other to lift her arm. She put her free hand on his shoulder and rolled her eyes. "Seems a little ridiculous for us, doesn't it? Tango is not even a Spanish dance." she whispered and watched the couple on the stage take a step as some music began. She and Arnold followed them with ease and quickly got bored faces on them, while the other couples struggled a little more. "Well, yes, but most people don't know how to tango, Helga… Think about it. It would be fun if - - "

"If we hadn't practiced tango a million times by now. Can we freestyle a bit?" Helga asked, but didn't wait for Arnold's answer; she just stretched her ankle and let it draw a half circle on the floor and let it stop behind her leg. He smiled at her, recognizing the step from _Roadside Girl_ and followed her. They did their best to stay in their own spot, but they were quickly getting emerged into this tango routine, which had become like second nature to them. Even if they fought, even if they were angry, doing the tango scene never seemed to be a problem for them. They were in their own little world when they were dancing with each other. In fact, they were so much in their own little world right now that they hadn't noticed that the other couples had moved to the sides and were looking at them in awe.

The music may not have been fit for their own tango routine, but it fit well enough for them not to care. When they heard the music dying down, they skipped a couple of the next moves and went straight to the final. Arnold swung Helga beneath his arm a couple of times and let her head fall to the floor. She stretched her arm downwards, while one of her legs lifted from the floor and sneaked behind Arnold's knee in order to hold her up and he smiled at her.

With a chuckle, the blondes stood upright again, only to be applauded. They looked around in surprise and flushed bright red when they realized what they had just spontaneously done in front of a bunch of strangers. The Spanish woman stepped down the stage, continued to clap until she grabbed Helga's wrist and lifted her arm up in the air, making the crowd cheer a little louder. Arnold felt his own free hand being lifted too and the two youngsters tightened their hold on each other's hands, subconsciously afraid of being forced to let go of each other.

Once the applauding finally finished, it took Arnold and Helga only a small glance to tell each other that it was time to get out of there. They paid their bill and hurried outside, people whistling behind them teasingly. Helga was about to say something, but it turned into a surprised sound when she felt rain hit her bare arms. She looked into the sky and sure enough; the dark blue sky had a gray tone in it and droplets of water was starting to fall. When a drop hit Arnold's nose, it twitched much like a bunny's nose usually did and Helga snickered at the cute sight.

Arnold used his hand to scratch his nose to get the ticklish feeling away. "Should we find somewhere else so we don't have to stay out in the rain?" Helga asked and took his hand, about to lead him away. He nodded behind her though she couldn't see him, but then an idea came to mind. "Wait." He told her and she stopped to look at him. With only one step, his lips were suddenly on hers and she made a small whimper of surprise, but that whimper soon turned into a moan when his already wet hand went to her neck and caressed it gently. The rain kept falling lazily on them, gradually making their clothes wet and making their hair fall into their own and each other's faces, but they weren't bothered by it in the slightest.

When Arnold's mouth left Helga's, it did so with a small pant and he smiled as his forehead leaned against hers. She smiled as well. "What was that?" she asked in a small voice and opened her eyes to look at him. He opened his eyes too, but seeing her blue eyes so close surprised him a bit so he hesitated to answer. "Me being bold." He replied in just as small a voice as hers had been and kissed her again.

They stood there for a bit until Helga heard a very familiar melody and looked over Arnold's head towards the restaurant where the music was coming from. "_Stand by me_." She observed and he was about to ask her what she meant when he heard the melody as well. He looked at her as she tilted her head from side to side to the music. "_When the night has come and the land is dark __y la luna es la luz que brilla ante mí_." The Spanish woman sang from inside the restaurant and Helga snickered. "I had the first couple of sentences correct."

Arnold smiled and took Helga's hands in his and she looked at him in surprise when he started dancing with there. "_Miedo no, no tendre, oh, I won't me assustare. Just as long as you stand, stand by me._" The woman sang and Helga laughed for a moment as she followed Arnold's steps. "Dancing in the rain, huh? If you ask me this is cheesier than when we danced outside my house." She told him and let him twirl her around beneath his arm. "Complaining?" he asked teasingly and stepped towards her as she stepped back. "No." she replied honestly and noticed that her cheeks weren't even flushed. She wasn't even embarrassed; she was just so lost in this cheesy, absolutely ridiculous perfect moment and she hoped it would last forever.

"_Y aunque las montañas o el cielo caiga. No voy a preocuparme porque se, que tu estas, junto a mí_. _No llorare, no llorare. Oh, I wont shed a tear porque se, que tu estas, junto a mí_." The woman continued to sing and Arnold noticed something on the other side of the street. Helga noticed his look and asked him what he was looking at. Rather than answering, he twirled her under his arm and turned her back as against his chest, holding her around her waist by her hand. On the other side of the street stood two girls, about the age of fourteen Helga believed. They were attempting to hide behind a car while one of them held a phone up in front of her. They were smiling giddily as if they were watching the cutest thing in the world.

"They're recording us." Helga observed in a quiet voice and turned to look at Arnold over her shoulder. "Should we stop?" he asked, but she shook her head. "No way. Let them record us." She said and he twirled her under his arm again and she stepped closer to him. "Maybe it will go viral?" she suggested and snickered for a moment. He snickered as well and then with a mischievous grin, he twirled her around again and dipped her down until her hair reached the wet asphalt.

Helga gasped in surprised, but her body had reacted on its own and her ankle was once again hooked securely behind his knee. She could see the girls over by the car and she winked at them, surprising them both before Arnold pulled her up again. The girls looked at each other in surprise; they really thought that Helga Pataki, their favorite theatre actress hadn't seen them, but then they giggled inaudibly in order not to mess up the footage. The fact that Helga Pataki had just winked at them rather than scolding them for recording her and her boyfriend Arnold Shortman must have meant they had her blessing. That's what they decided anyways as they continued to record the very sweet, romantic scene in front of them.

"_And darling, darling, stand by me. Ooh, ooh, stand by me. __Ooh, stand junto a mí. __Junto a mí. Junto a mí. Junto a mí._"Arnold and Helga mostly swayed at this point, completely lost in each other. They had even forgotten about the two girls as they kissed each other again, the rain still pouring down as if it would never get another chance. "I'm soaked." Helga panted and snickered with Arnold. "Want to come to Sunset Arms to dry off?" he asked and she smiled. "Yes, please." She replied, took him by the hand and started running with him while the song became a mere echo behind them. "_Stand junto a mí. Junto a mí_…"

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: First of all: I do not speak a word of Spanish! So if there are any mistakes, blame Google Translate and please do tell me if there are any mistakes because I wanna fix them xD I'm not unsure about the song though because I found the lyrics on the internet so they **_**should**_** be correct I would hope xD**

**Prince Royce – "Stand by me"**


	15. A pure tunnel of love

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Helga and Arnold went on a date to the old theatre Kiska to watch the next Evil Twin movie. What should have been a calm trip to the theatre turned out to be something much more fun for the both of them, when Helga decided to turn her head on the screen. Their little sexual encounter though was interrupted by one of the employers at the Kiska and they had to run away.**_

_**Afterwards, they went to a Spanish restaurant where Arnold started to question his spontaneity when Helga teased him about the subject. Unknowingly, they stood up to learn the tango when the band suggested it, but ended up taking the whole floor for themselves as they freestyled. The dance continued outside the restaurant and to their almost immediate knowledge, a couple of young girls decided to record them as they danced in the rain.**_

**Author's 1st note: I don't know what to say: "blah-blah-blah, here's the next chapter."**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 15: "A pure tunnel of love"

Helga growled at the back of her throat. It was rather dry and she seriously needed something to drink. She tried to sit up, but felt something on her back holding her down. Much to her displeasure, she forced her eyes open to gauge at her surroundings. She had expected to see the bedroom; her _own_ bedroom. Not Arnold's bedroom. She blinked as she got used to the light and then used her elbows to sit up a little bit on her stomach. She looked around. _Yeah, this is definitely his bedroom… but where is…? Oh, there he is._ She thought as she caught sight of Arnold sleeping next to her, his arm being the thing on her back, which was holding her down.

Arnold was snoring peacefully and Helga let her head fall back to the mattress as she smiled at him. _What happened yesterday?_ She wondered and closed her eyes as the memories flooded back to her. Like Arnold had suggested, they had gone to Sunset Arms in order to dry off. Helga had half expected Phil and Gertie to appear in the hallway until she remembered they had died a couple of years ago. She then remembered that she had even anonymously send flowers for the funeral and then admitted that to Arnold. He had kissed her tenderly and thanked her like a couple of million times; she lost count through the night and they had then gone to the bathroom to dry each other with the towels. It had been an oddly sweet and playful moment and for the first time in a long time, Helga had felt like writing a poem about Arnold. They had then gone to his bedroom to watch movies, but fallen asleep on his bed.

"You still live in the same room… Mr. Play-it-safe." Helga whispered teasingly in Arnold's ear and then bit on his earlobe. He flinched in his sleep, but hadn't woken up just yet. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." She whispered and blew gently on his face. His face scrunched and he turned onto his back thereby removing his arm from her lower back. "Stubborn…" she muttered and then straddled his lap and started to tap her fingers on his bare chest. They were both wearing the same clothes as last night, but had both lost their shoes and Arnold was without his tie. His shirt had at some point opened during the night, but Helga was pretty sure she hadn't been the one to open it… and she doubted Arnold had.

Arnold was stirring and started to lift his hips in his sleep. Helga stayed put on his lap and he seemed to start feeling that something was sitting on him. She snickered, as he seemed to roll experimentally around as if trying to figure out what was on him. He was starting to open his eyes so she leaned forward, put her hands over the other on his chest and put her chin on top of them. When he was finally capable of seeing her, he flinched in surprise and she hid her face in his chest as she laughed. All he could see was her shoulders shaking and her blonde and pink hair cascading down his stomach and chest. "Wha'… Helga?" he questioned and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Why are you…?"

"We fell asleep, you nut." Helga responded and lifted her head up from Arnold's chest, but stayed lying on top of him. He finally opened his green orbs and looked at her properly. He smiled. "Good morning." He said and she giggled. "Good morning, Sleepy Head. Boy, you're not a morning person, are you?" she asked as he yawned. "Not anymore… I'm getting _old._" He retorted. "You willy old coot." She stated and started tickling him. "No! Helga! I just woke up! And I'm not _that_ old!" he insisted and grabbed her wrists to stop her and she landed on his chest right in front of his face. She was laughing and so was he, but only for a moment until he gave her a sweet good morning kiss.

"I could get used to this." Arnold stated as he wrapped his arms around Helga's waist and rolled them both to the side. She chuckled in surprise and then nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck. "This is the first time you woke up next to me." She pointed out, but he just huffed. "I could still get used to it…" he repeated and kissed her neck. A smile cracked on her face, but she hid it from him by burying her face in his neck again. "What time is it?"

Arnold hovered over Helga as he grabbed his phone. She turned to look at the phone as well and their eyes widened. "Oh, _shit_!" she hissed and they hurried out of the bed. "Why don't you have an alarm set on?!" she asked a little angrily and looked at herself in the mirror. "I usually do, but we must have been too deeply asleep to notice!" Arnold replied as he went through his drawer, trying to find a more casual t-shirt to put on than his blue dress shirt. "What the fuck am I supposed to do?" she questioned as she desperately tried to tie her hair into a ponytail. "I don't have time to go home and change and I can't waltz up looking like this."

Arnold looked at Helga and blushed a little at the sight. She was of course still wearing the same outfit as the night before; the blue plaid skirt, the black vest and the knee high socks, but it all looked ruffled and wasn't sitting properly. Her skirt was flipped behind her, one of her socks had fallen to her ankle and he was pretty sure that the vest used to have two buttons open and not four. She looked at him and rolled her eyes at the way he was staring. "Mr. Goody-two-shoes or not; men are all the same."

Arnold shook his head to pull himself out of his reverie and then looked through the drawers again. "W-Wanna borrow some of my clothes?" he asked and that caught Helga's attention immediately. _Don't tease my girlish heart, Arnold._ She thought and did her best not to look too eager. "Well, that might work. You got anything that would fit me?" she asked and sat down on her knees next to him to look through his nether drawers. He jumped a little backwards when the wood hit his legs and he looked down for a moment to see what she was doing and it made his heart beat to think of her wearing some of _his_ clothes. It made him feel… oddly possessive, like if he was marking her as his own.

"Oh, found one!" Helga exclaimed and pulled out a shirt, she recognized. Well, it may not have been the same red plaid shirt, but it looked a lot like the one he usually wore in fourth grade. _He's always had a thing for plaid…_ She thought and eyed her plaid skirt with a smirk. "Wouldn't it seem weird to show up in a shirt for the play? Don't you usually wear sweatpants and a t-shirt?" he asked though he really didn't mind if she wanted to wear his shirt instead. Especially not since it was his favorite. "Hm. True…" she said and put it back in the drawer reluctantly and started to rummage through his clothes again.

"I found some pants that might fit you." Arnold said and pulled out a pair of regular black Everlast pants. Helga stood up from the floor and took them to eye them. "I can tighten them around my waist too." She observed and walked towards his bed. He started looking through the lower drawer once he had closed the top one, barely noticing what Helga was doing behind him. She eyed him for a moment, wondering if she dared. _What a dumbass question._ She thought and started to pull her skirt down. _He's seen my legs before._

"I have this baggy t-shirt that might work." Arnold said and was about to show it to Helga when he practically fell on his ass when he saw her skirt fall to her ankles. "Hel…" he was about to say her name, but didn't get to finish. She looked at him questioningly, ignoring the heat that started to prickle on her skin at the way he was staring at her. "Hell?" she repeated and sat down on his bed to take her socks off too. _Hell is right; Why does my body get so hot so easily just because he's looking at me?_ She wondered though she already knew the answer as she pulled her sock down slowly.

Arnold was staring, the gray t-shirt forgotten in his hands. His staring embarrassed Helga, but there was also something very gratifying about it. "Weren't you saying something?" she asked and threw her sock at his face by using her foot as a sling. He jolted when her sock hit his face and fell to his lap, but he just coughed awkwardly and threw the t-shirt at her. She eyed it; it seemed a little too big for her, but she did love wearing baggy clothes. "This might work." She said, pulled her other sock off and started to pull the pants on.

While Helga was undressing, Arnold did his best to look away, but it was rather hard to resist the temptation. She also seemed so open about it, like it didn't really bother her if he was looking. He frowned a little when he wondered if she had done the same in front of David so many times that she wasn't even embarrassed about it anymore. To his surprise, she suddenly coughed and he looked at her. "I know what you're thinking." She told him, but he didn't really hear her. She was now wearing his pants and had pulled her vest off thereby showing the dark blue bra beneath it with black lace on it. She rolled her eyes again and pulled the gray t-shirt over her so that he could focus on her words rather than her chest. "You're wondering why I seem so comfortable undressing in front of you."

Arnold finally heard Helga's words and watched her as she crouched in front of him. "It's not because of David." She told him and he frowned. "Am I that see-through?" he asked, but she shook her head. "Not really. I just know you. Besides, I figured that, much like me, you don't really like that I used to date David." She pointed out and he looked at her in slight confusion. "I mean, like I don't like the fact that you used to date Lila." She explained and he nodded in understanding. "It… bugs me that Lila is the first girl who's seen you in the nude. It kind of makes me want to poke her eyes out."

"Helga!" Arnold scolded, but her comment made him laugh. She laughed as well and sat down next to him, pulling one of her knees all the way up to her chin and rested it on it. "Oh, come on, Mr. Goody-two-shoes… Doesn't it bug you too that David was my first rather than you?" she asked and tilted her head to the side. His mouth twitched and he sighed at the thought. "Why do you think I left my own welcome party for about ten minutes once I heard that?" he asked and she smiled a little at his answer. "Is it bad that I'm a little happy you got sad because of it?" she asked and he chuckled. "Hey, I was happy when you said you've never been in love with David."

"It's true, you know… but it's also true that I wanted to be. I felt so… guilty through the whole thing. Guilty towards him, towards you… towards myself… I felt like I was betraying you, which is ridiculous, but… I also like I was betraying myself. M-My own feelings, you know? That's also why I admitted all those things to you at that party… I guess I felt bad." Helga admitted and started fidgeting with her fingers. Arnold's eyes were big in awe and this unknown feeling started to grow in him. "I-It's you, Arnold…" she continued a little unsurely and turned her head to look at him. "It's always been - - "

Arnold grabbed Helga by her cheeks and clashed his lips against hers, causing her to gasp in surprise. "Arnold?" she asked in a muffled voice, but finally closed her eyes and let him push her backwards onto the floor. She wasn't sure where this spur of passion had come from, only that she liked an aggressive Arnold almost as much as she liked the gentle one. She moaned when she felt his hand travel up beneath the t-shirt and he had almost reached her breast when a ringing caught their ears.

Arnold let go of Helga and looked towards his phone. "Snooze…" he explained with a sigh and let his forehead touch her chest in defeat. He could hear and feel her pant beneath him, his kiss having obviously surprised her. "Um… sorry." He whispered against her chest, but she took his cheeks and kissed him again. "For what?" she asked, kissed him once more and then started to push him off her. He smiled as he helped her standing up and then he eyed her outfit. "How can you look sexy in sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt?"

Helga smiled in surprise at Arnold's choice of words and then looked at herself in the mirror. "Oh, that's because the t-shirt is so big that my shoulders and half my chest is showing." She explained nonchalantly and he looked at her reflection. "Oh, yeah. That's it." he agreed and kissed her half-exposed chest. She laughed at the ticklish feeling and smiled at him. "We really should go…" She said before kissing him and he sighed into the kiss, but then agreed with her.

* * *

"This is the first time I'm this late!" Helga yelled as she and Arnold ran through the street, both already sweating. "Me too!" Arnold retorted, opened the door for her and ran after her as soon as she was inside. "What the hell are we supposed to tell them?" she asked and stopped in front of the door into the auditorium. He halted as well, about to tumble into her, but she steadied him. "Uh… what, indeed?" he wondered and tried to think about it for a moment, but Helga lost her patience and opened the door.

Loud music was booming inside the room and the two blondes recognized the scene. "Well… we gave them a reason to rehearse the few scenes there are without any of us in it…" Helga muttered in embarrassment and jogged towards the stage with Arnold right behind her. When the director noticed them, he put on a look of pure rage, which Arnold hadn't seen before. Helga though, had been ready for his anger and put a hand on Arnold's chest, telling him to stay back while she went to talk to him.

Arnold felt like he was betraying Helga for staying back and was about to approach her and the director instead of following her order, but the music stopped and David approached him. "Hey, what happened to you two?" he asked and Arnold turned around to see that Maria was standing behind him too. "There aren't a lot of scenes without Helga in it, you know." David continued with a bit of a frown and Arnold crumbled beneath his sight. "We're so sorry. We, uh… Why are you smiling?" he asked when he saw the smirk on Maria's face. "Did you two dance in the rain last night?" she asked and pulled her phone out from her pocket. His eyes went wide at the question. "Wait. What? H-How do you - - "

"Oh, my God! I knew it was you and Helga! Someone recorded you two dancing out in the rain last night, it has like a million views already!" Maria shrieked and stepped to the side to show Arnold something on her phone. "A million?!" he repeated and looked at the video. It was indeed a rather good recording of him and Helga dancing to _Stand by me_ and he blushed at the sight. _I need to find this video on YouTube later…_ He told himself and his eyes traveled towards David to gauge his reaction. He had an eyebrow arched and a lopsided grin on his face. "You two really can't keep your hands off each other." He stated and Arnold smiled a little in relief. _Good. He doesn't seem angry or hurt… then again, he's an actor._ He thought.

"You two are so freaking adorable! I've read the comments on the video, which by the way is called _Cheesy couple dancing in the rain to 'Stand by me'_ in case you wanna know, and some people have already recognized Helga, which means they are recognizing you, which means they will connect this video to our play!" Maria said in a cheerful voice and Arnold wondered how she managed to say all that without losing her breath for even a single moment. "Your relationship is wonderful ad for the play _and_ it's super cute!"

"Excuse me?" Helga's voice said behind Arnold and he flinched in surprise. "Oh, uh, hi, Helga, did you… talk to the director?" he asked, trying to play off his surprise. "Yeah. He was furious at us for being late and we have to stay behind two extra hours today, but besides that he's cool… What is that?" she asked when she heard the melody from Maria's phone. The girl showed Helga what they had been looking at before she came and her eyes widened. "Criminy, those girls worked fast!" she exclaimed and took the phone to look at it properly. "A million views?!"

"That is something I would like to talk to you about as well." the director said, having heard Helga's exclamation. The blondes gulped and turned to look at the man who was pointing at them with the rolled manuscript in his hand. "I am just reminding you what I told you last time: it is good advertisement, I do not care what my actors do in their private time… but I will not have your relationship ruin the play. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Helga replied and Arnold nodded in agreement. The director then turned on the mic on his headset in order to talk to the sound technician. The blondes sighed in relief and turned to look at Maria and David again. "Criminy, that man scares me." Helga admitted and they all looked at her in surprise. "You seem so calm around him?" Maria questioned and Helga waved her comment off with a flick of her hand. "I try to be professional, but seriously; he is a scary man." She said and then clapped her hands. "Well, no more of that! Let's get to work, people!"

* * *

"And curtains." The director said with a satisfied smile as the two blondes fell to the floor, both panting and heaving for air. "Very nice work, you two. I do hope this means you won't be late again in the future." He continued. Helga lifted her hand as if saluting him, but she was too tired to finish the gesture so her hand just fell back on Arnold's chest. "Yes, sir…" she said instead and Arnold nodded. "Good." He said and turned his back to them to start walking out of the auditorium. "I will see you two tomorrow. _On time_."

Once the director was out of the room, Helga sat up with a groan. "The man is a tyrant." She uttered with a bit of distaste in her voice. "Tell me something I don't know…" Arnold muttered behind her and she turned to look at him over her shoulder. "I could easily take a nap right here, right now…" he continued, but she snapped in front of him. "Not good for your spine. Come on. Up." She said, grabbed his hands and started to pull him up from the floor. "Up. Up, up, up."

Arnold sat up with a groan and his forehead hit Helga's chest lazily. "I'm not a pillow." she pointed out, but laid her arms lazily over his back rather trying to push him away. "My clothes are still at Sunset Arms…" she muttered. "Huh? Why didn't you bring them here?" Arnold asked, not particularly interested in the subject. He was far too exhausted. "I forgot." She admitted and then fell backwards, which meant that Arnold fell on top of her with his face still on her chest. "Helga… as tempting as you are, I'm too tired…" he said in a muffled voice due to her breasts and she laughed. "I'm not starting anything. I'm too tired too. I'm trying to motivate myself to get up again."

"You're not gonna find any motivation in me. I would rather stay here."

"We can't stay here forever."

"Why not? We technically have all the essentials; a room to dress, a kitchen and several bathrooms."

"There are no showers."

"Huh… that presents a problem." Arnold said and they snickered at their lazy joke and Arnold finally sat up. "Come on. Up." He said in a singsong voice and took Helga's hands. With a bit of struggle due to their sore limbs, they got each other standing up and started to descend the stage. "I need to go to your house to get my clothes." She told him as he grabbed his bag. "Yeah." He muttered, yawned and then they started walking out of the auditorium.

* * *

"Shit. My back hurts." Helga stated and bend her back from side to side in a weak attempt of making herself feel better. She was waiting for Arnold to unlock the front door. "He did seem angrier with you than me." Arnold observed and opened the door. "That's because I'm the protagonist. I'm in almost every fucking scene so if I'm not there there's not a lot to rehearse even if they use my recorded voice during dances." She explained and walked past him and up the stairs. "That's true." He agreed behind her and followed her into his room.

As soon as Helga caught sight of her clothes on the floor, she bend forward in order to grab them, but the sound of her body cracking made her double over in surprise and she landed on the floor. "Was that _you_?" Arnold asked in shock of the loud snap. "Yeah, my _back_…" Helga corrected and tried to rub the sore part on her lower back, but it didn't do much difference. "Criminy, the man is a tyrant!" she repeated once more and went to lie on Arnold's bed instead. She arched her back as much as she could, the sight starting to entice Arnold. She was after all lying on _his_ bed and that big t-shirt was crawling up her stomach because of the way she was attempting to stretch herself.

"You know… I never got to give you a massage back then." Arnold pointed out before he could stop himself. Helga's lower back fell back on the mattress as she looked at him in surprise. "That's right… Do you wanna… now?" she asked and laid on her side, ready to turn all the way around on her stomach if he said yes. He shrugged. "Sure. Since your back hurts and all…" he answered and was about to sit on the bed until he realized something. "Uh… H-Helga, where do you want me to sit?" he asked and she went to lie on her back. "Huh? Uh… on my thighs since it's my lower back that hurts?" she suggested, not really catching onto why he felt the need to ask her that. She heard him mumble behind her and then felt him sit on her thighs and then she realized why he had felt nervous. _Well… I guess sitting on my ass when he's a boy might have been a little…_ She thought with a smile and then put her hands behind her back.

Arnold was about to ask what Helga was doing when she was pulling the t-shirt up to her neck. She hesitated for a moment, but then pulled it over her head and used it as a pillow, though she really just wanted to bury her face in it. Arnold looked at Helga's exposed back and noticed a red line beneath her bra. "Helga, is your bra too tight?" he asked and regretted his question instantly, especially when her head shot around to give him a look of disbelief. "Excuse me?" she asked and he flushed bright red. "Ah, n-no, I was just - - It's just, uh… the-there's a red line beneath your bra so…"

Helga kept frowning, but then made a sound that indicated she knew what he was talking about. "I've been sleeping with this bra on, Arnold. Of course, it's made marks. It's like if you fall asleep on your hand and you are wearing a bracelet or a watch then you're gonna have a mark on your face in the same shape." She explained and put her cheek on her hands again. "Oh… doesn't it hurt then?" he asked, his fingers starting to touch her spine absentmindedly. Her chuckle made him look at her face again though. "Arnold, if you're that eager to take it off…"

"That's not what I was…" Arnold started, but then frowned. _Here I go again. Shy, modest Arnold… No. I'm not gonna let you tease me anymore, Helga._ He thought and opened her bra quickly… albeit _gently_. Small steps, he figured. Helga blinked in surprise, but hid it by turning the back of her head to him. _Huh… I wonder if my words last night got to him?_ She wondered and had half the mind to tell him not to worry so much about it… but she was rather curious to see how far he was willing to take this even if just to make a point.

Arnold's hands glided experimentally across Helga's naked back as he tried to remember how she had done it to him. It was in vain though since he was far too nervous to remember anything so he was mostly following his gut. "It feels good, Arnold, but the pain is in my lower back." Helga whispered teasingly. She was having a hard time not giggling at the way his fingers were shaking on her skin. _Right…_ he scolded himself and led his hands to her lower back. He felt her flinch when he added a bit of pressure a little to the left side of her spine. "Here?"

Helga nodded to Arnold's question and he tried keeping his hands in that area without pressing too hard. "Is the pressure ok?" he asked and she moaned much to his mixed pleasure. "A little harder would be ok." She replied and he did as told, frowning a little awkwardly at her phrase. "Better?" he asked, but she told him that he could be harder. He felt himself starting to stir at the voice she had used to give him that command, but tried to shake it off. He added more pressure in his fingers and palms as he tried to ignore what his body wanted him to do. Helga moaned. "Harder, Arnold."

"I got it, Helga, you want it hard!" Arnold shrieked in a high-pitched voice and his cheeks were scarlet red as Helga chuckled at him. "I have a feeling it already is quite hard…" she teased and he jolted at her words, but even more when she decided to _readjust_ herself beneath his thighs. "In fact, I can feel it." she whispered and let her thigh deliberately touch his swollen member. He jerked at the small friction and his forehead hit her shoulder blade in shock. When he panted, his warm breath tickled the nape of her neck and she gave an honest moan this time and felt goose bumps travel over her skin.

Arnold wasn't blind to Helga's reaction to their sudden closeness and he couldn't help but experimentally nuzzle her hairline with his nose. She flinched in surprise, but also moaned once she got used to the feeling. _Now I know how cats feel…_ She thought and almost purred at the feeling. It tickled in the sweetest way, but a warmth also enveloped her from within. "That tickles…" She whispered into the pillow for no real reason other than her need to say _something_. Arnold didn't respond at first, other than blowing gently on her cheek and emitting another shaky moan from her. "You're not laughing though…" he whispered and licked behind her ear, causing her to jolt in surprise.

_He really does feel like being bold today. Ok, Shortman, let's see how far you're willing to take this._ Helga thought and deliberately made a soft moan for no other reason than to encourage him though she had a feeling she wouldn't have to fake anything soon. Arnold heard Helga's small sigh and smirked. _I hope I can make that louder._ He thought and kissed the nape of her neck after moving her hair to the side. She made another, though yet again soft, moan and arched her back, reminding him that he was pressing himself down on her sore muscles.

Arnold started to make a trail of butterfly kisses down Helga's spine until he reached her lower back. His hands started to massage her lazily as he kept planting kisses on random spots. They both started to feel tingly at the sensations and Helga was about to turn around and kiss him when the sound of glass breaking somewhere outside the room made them stop. "What was that?" Helga asked and turned around on her back in order to sit up. Arnold moved back so she could sit properly as a female voice started to yell in a sobbing voice. "Sounds like Susie and Oskar are fighting again." he answered with a frown. "Oh, right, them… Are they still together?" she asked as she pulled the t-shirt back over her torso and he nodded. "_Why_?"

"They love each other, Helga." Arnold replied before Susie's voice screamed once again in anger. "Oh, yeah." Helga retorted and stood up from the bed. "Their apartment is a pure tunnel of love."

"Ok, so they fight a lot. We do too."

"It's not the same."

"What's the difference?" Arnold asked and stood up as well to face Helga. She was about to reply when the sound of a door opening and banging loudly against the wall made both blondes walk towards Arnold's own door. Once he had opened it, they could see Susie downstairs walking away with a red suitcase in her hand. Oskar was standing in the doorway, telling her that she was being dramatic, but she wasn't listening. Once Susie was down the stairs, Oskar waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, declaring that she would come back and then closed the door behind him.

Arnold and Helga stayed in their own doorway as the display played itself out. "_That_." Helga announced and Arnold looked at her in confusion. "That's the difference." She continued and went inside the room. Arnold stayed back for a moment, contemplating what she had just said. He didn't understand so he went inside to question her, but halted when he saw her pulling her skirt over her bare legs. He turned his eyes away and asked her what she had meant.

Helga looked at Arnold over her shoulder as she continued to change. "Oskar isn't afraid. He is expecting Susie to come crawling back. He's not taking her seriously." She explained and closed the last button on her vest. "Well, she _will_ be back. Susie always comes back because she loves him." Arnold countered, starting to feel defensive of the couple though he wasn't sure why. "Of course she will." Helga agreed and he turned to look at her in surprise. "Susie will always come back to Oskar so surely he has nothing to worry about, right?"

Arnold was still frowning in confusion so Helga decided to give it to him straight. "Let me put it this way…" she said and approached him. He felt cornered as his eyes locked on hers, which were dangerously close to his and showing a severity, he didn't see in them often. "No matter how many times _we_ would fight, no matter how many times we would get angry and no matter how many times you would walk away from me… I would _always_ be afraid that you wouldn't come back."

Arnold's eyes had slowly widened the more Helga had spoken. A heavy feeling surrounded his heart, but the heart itself was beating like crazy. It was a rather complex feeling and he wasn't sure if he had been about to say something before Helga had kissed him. "I'll see you tomorrow." She told him and walked out of the room, leaving him dumbfounded. He watched her as she walked down the stairs, her body looking oddly cold and mechanical to him. "But…" he muttered once she was gone. "You left _me_…"

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: What Arnold is referring to in the end is when Helga left to go to an acting school back when they were thirteen, not at this very moment when she "left him" xP I just wanted to make sure no one would be confused, hah. xD**

**Oh, and I don't know of Everlast is a clothing mark known any other place in Denmark? I really don't care much for clothes so I don't know stuff like that, but it's basically just sportswear xD**


	16. Watch her grow up

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After their date, Helga had winded up falling asleep next to Arnold in his bed. They quickly realized they had been sleeping so soundly that they hadn't heard the alarm clock go off so Helga needed to borrow some clothes of Arnold's since she couldn't make it home to change.**_

_**The video the two young girls had recorded of Arnold and Helga dancing had gone viral through the evening, night and morning and most of the other actors already knew about it. The director warned them not to let their feelings get away of the play, but applauded the new advertisement for the play it gave.**_

_**After practice, Helga went home with Arnold to grab her clothes, but stayed a bit longer as Arnold attempted to give her a massage, which turned into a bit more. Susie, one of Arnold's neighbors, broke the moment as she stormed out on her husband Oskar once again. Helga and Arnold parted, both feeling a little sour from the moment they had just witnessed and the discussion they had about it.**_

**Author's 1st note: Yay! I'm so quick all of a sudden! xD But don't expect the next chapter to appear so quickly again xP**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 16: "Watch her grow up"

It was Arnold's third attempt at tying a regular Windsor knot. He wasn't particularly bad at it, but he was too distracted. He and Helga hadn't spoken much since Susie had left Oskar and, to Arnold's surprise, hadn't come back yet. He felt suddenly awkward around Helga and he wasn't really sure why. She had basically told him that she loved him or at least cared for him dearly so what was bothering him so much? It was the way she had converted it, using Susie and Oskar as symbols. She had told him that unlike Oskar, if Arnold had ever left Helga she would have been scared that he wouldn't come back. It was a confession and he should have been happy, but this pressure on his chest refused to go away. A part of him knew why he was bothered by it; because there was a petty, cynical side of him that said that Helga had in fact left him seven years ago. His logical and loving side though said that it was _seven years_ ago and she didn't exactly have a commitment to him back then, not that she particularly had one now, but it was still different from back then.

Helga was feeling the same sort of awkwardness around Arnold. She was thinking about it as she was pulling the invisible strings from her white dress over her shoulders. Unlike Arnold, she wasn't unsure of why she felt awkward, she knew it; she was a little angry with him. Once she got home, she had called Phoebe and told her what had happened and Phoebe had mentioned that Gerald had once told her that Arnold had in fact saved Susie and Oskar's marriage when they were children. Helga had been unexplainably furious and told Phoebe she needed to cool off. She had been standing under the cold water in the shower for about twenty minutes before she felt remotely calm. It just angered her; that Arnold would save such an abusive, one-sided relationship. After that anger had cooled off, she had wondered if she was even allowed to be angry. Wasn't she abusive in some ways herself like Oskar was? Did she show Arnold that she cared for him? Did she appreciate him enough? She had gone to bed angry and confused that night without finding any answers.

Their semi, pseudo, not-really-a-true fight had miraculously not affected the play, but the director along with the cast had noticed how they weren't talking to each other; especially Maria and David who were meeting up before the party at Maria's house. "Do you know what they're fighting about?" Maria asked she tied her short hair into a small ponytail and saw David shaking his head. "It doesn't feel like a fight. When Helga's angry, she's seething with it. At the moment she just seems… numb." He explained with a frown. It wasn't a mood he was used to seeing on Helga; anger was so much easier to deal with.

"Should we do something?" Maria asked and put her hands to her hip. "I'm not sure if we would just be making things worse…" David admitted and adjusted his tie as he faced his reflection in the mirror. "We can't do anything as long as we don't know what's going on at least, but… maybe the party tonight will bring them back together?" he suggested and frowned a little at the thought. He was happy that Helga was finally making progress with the love of her life, but he was starting to wonder how good Arnold was for her. Was he really such a great guy? He was starting to think that maybe Helga had put Arnold up on a pedestal where David wasn't sure he belonged.

"Do you still have feelings for her?" Maria asked with a bit of a pout and David smiled at her. "A part of me does… but it's growing smaller. I still care much for her though." he warned, but Maria smiled at him. "Of course you do. She's a great girl." She said and frowned at the sight of David's tie. "Why are men so bad at this?" she mockingly asked and readjusted his tie for him. "Thanks." He said with a small grin and kissed her forehead. A very big grin spread across her face and he couldn't help but chuckle at her honesty. Helga would usually have frowned and slapped him on the chest as if he had just insulted her whenever he did that. This was a nice change.

* * *

"Am I supposed to apologize, Phoebs?"

"You didn't say anything wrong, Helga."

"Then why do I feel guilty?!"

"Because you're weird!" Phoebe announced teasingly and nudged her elbow at Helga's arm. Helga smiled and swung her arm over the shorter girl's shoulders. "Arnold and I aren't fighting and yet we're not talking… It's only been less then forty-eight hours, but it feels like forever! Oh, ew. Am I that girl?" she asked with a disgusted frown on her face, which Phoebe giggled at the sight of. "Arnold is making you that girl." She replied and Helga huffed. "But I think Arnold is that boy too."

"Yeah?"

"Gerald told me though he didn't tell me in details so he wouldn't betray Arnold's trust. In truth, Arnold is really affected by this too." Phoebe said and Helga smiled a bit. "I'm a sadist for saying it, but I like that he's negatively affected by this too." She admitted and Phoebe chuckled. "Of course he is, Helga. He likes you. A lot." She concurred and hugged the blonde girl by her waist. "Thanks, Phoebs… I just hope that this party can get me in a better mood. I can't count how many people wrote to me on my blog that they were planning to show up."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"Of course it is. It's great! It means more people with phones and nothing better to do than advertise our play through their own blogs, Facebook, Twitter and… whatever that Instagram thing is used for."

"I believe that is the one that is used for pictures."

"That's just as good. Pictures of the place and of the actors is just as good as a thousand words." Helga said as she and Phoebe entered Circle Theatre, and Helga almost stumbled back at the sight. "Whoa, this place does _not_ look like itself at all!" she said as she gauged. It most of all looked like an extravagant nightclub; neon lights bright enough to blind a person, smoke on the floor to give that edgy look and ottomans along with sectional couches out in the corners. There was plenty of room for dancing much like how Helga remembered it and the small stage at the far end of the room was still there. "Phoebe, do you know how Arnold's grandparents reacted to this change?" Helga asked with a bit of a frown. She personally liked the place, but knowing that it had changed so much from how it had looked when Gertie and Phil had their first date here… it somehow saddened her. Phoebe shook her head. "No, but I'm guessing they didn't like it."

"My grandma was the angriest one."

Helga shrieked at Arnold's voice behind her and she turned around to glare at him. "Why do you always come sneaking up like that?" she asked and put a hand to her heart. "Hey, baby." Gerald greeted Phoebe and kissed the girl's cheek while Arnold looked at Helga awkwardly. _Ugh, this feeling is still there…_ Helga thought and in stubbornness, she kissed Arnold's cheek herself. He looked at her in surprise, but smiled at her. Helga suddenly remembered that Gerald was standing next to them and looked at him to see his reaction. Arnold noticed her look and he leaned closer to her ear. "Just so you know, Gerald knows about whatever _this is_."

Helga recognized her own words coming out of Arnold's mouth and she smirked. "Did he have a brain aneurism?" she asked and he nodded. "Pretty much." He responded and they chuckled together. Gerald and Phoebe smiled at the exchange between their best friends, but Gerald was still feeling weird about how Helga and Arnold were now an item. "Can you two keep the PDA down until I'm drunk?" he asked, but awaited no answer before he pulled Phoebe along with him towards the bar. "I have a feeling he's not over that brain aneurism just yet."

Arnold chuckled at Helga's words and he turned to smile at her, but noticed that her smile was fading. "Arnold, are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?" she asked and he started to look around. "I don't think this place is big enough for an elephant, Helga." He retorted and felt her hand slap him on his chest. "Don't avoid the subject, Arnold. Talk to me." She ordered and he sighed. "I don't know what to say, Helga, I… I have this weird feeling, but I don't know why or what the feeling even is."

"Then I'll start." Helga declared and sighed in preparation. "I'm a little… angry with you, Arnold, which I know isn't fair. I don't know Susie and Oskar the same way you do, you've seen them in their happy moments too, which I haven't. It's just… you seem like the kind of person who would save a marriage beyond any means and my opinion is just that… maybe some marriages are better left broken by divorce."

Arnold looked dumbfounded at Helga. He hadn't expected her to turn the subject so heavy so quickly, but he let her speak. "I often think about how different my life would have been if my parents had gotten a divorce. I truly believe they would be happier without each other, but that's the _bad_ ending to you, right? Sure, two people living happily ever after in a marriage is the best way, but what if they are unhappy in their marriage? Isn't a divorce then the better option? It just seems to me that Susie would be so much happier without Oskar and maybe once when there is no one there to save his ass all the time, he'll start living like a normal human being. I just don't think it's fair that he's dragging Susie down with him." She continued and then exhaled again. "Now I've said my part. I just needed to get it out. Your turn."

Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but he was speechless. Helga was waiting patiently for him to speak so before he knew it, he did. "Helga, you're amazing." He told her and her eyes widened in shock. "Since I was a child I've been known as the one people ask for advice, the one to help people solve their problems, but… lately, I've been wondering if I even know what I'm talking about." He admitted and saw that she was about to comment, but he held a hand up to stop her and she kept quiet. "Helga, your perspective of the world may be darker than mine… but it's also more realistic. Perhaps I'm too idealistic and too positive. You might be right. Maybe… Maybe Susie would be happier without Oskar and maybe in the long run, Oskar would be happier without Susie… if you're right about him starting to take care of himself that is."

Helga was the one to feel dumbfounded now. She hadn't expected Arnold to agree with her on such a subject in a million years. He smiled at her as he put his hand behind her neck and nuzzled his forehead against hers. "You taught me something just now, Helga… Thank you." he said and she felt a blush spread on her cheeks. "Uh… you're welcome?" she suggested and he chuckled at her sudden uncertainty. They stayed quiet for a moment, just standing there as this heavy feeling they had felt the last two days was disappearing.

"Susie hasn't come back yet." Arnold whispered and Helga nodded in understanding. "Maybe she… really has left this time." He continued and sighed. "Arnold, that would be a good thing, at least for her. Their marriage is dead…" She whispered and he nodded, but his face still seemed pained. He had grown up with this couple after all, so it felt like a part of his family was breaking up. Helga bit on her lower lip. "The marriage is not just dead, Arnold, it… it died, came back as a zombie and was shot in the head so it died again."

Arnold made one short, but loud snicker at Helga's words and she started chuckling as he looked at her with a cracked frown since he was laughing himself. "You're horrible!" he declared, but then laughed loudly with her as her hands started to rest on his neck as well. Once their laughing stopped, they kissed deeply, both moaning at the familiar feeling of butterflies flying around in their stomachs.

"Looks like we were worried for nothing." A male voice declared next to the blondes and they turned to look towards it. David, Maria, Gerald and Phoebe were standing near them and smiling at them. "Worried?" Arnold repeated and David smirked. "Yeah, you two seemed like you were fighting, but by the way you're locking lips now, I'm guessing it's over?" he asked and Arnold looked back at Helga. "Well, whatever we were doing is over… right?" he asked and she smiled at him before pecking his lips. "Yeah." She answered and Maria started cheering as she clapped. The others joined in for the joke and Helga rolled her eyes while Arnold bowed. She took the opportunity and smacked him at the back of his head, which he frowned at, but the sight of her smile made him forgive her easily.

"Helga, we spoke with the director yesterday by the way." David said, catching the blondes' attention again. "He said it would be a good idea to choose a scene from the play as a sort of advertisement for the play, but we weren't sure which we should choose." He said questioningly and Helga frowned. "We're gonna perform _tonight_? Would have been nice to know, bucko!" she said as she looked down on herself. "I'm sort of limited to some of the dances in this long dress." She pointed out and waved the white material around her bare legs.

"So we should choose something that isn't too upbeat so the girls can dance properly in their long dresses. We shouldn't risk the advertisement being that the protagonist can't dance." David agreed, which Helga bumped him at the top of the head at. "How about _Welcome to the Slaughterhouse_?" Maria suggested with a shrug. Helga tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "It _is_ the opening song and would make a great teaser… and everyone is in that scene. People are going to be recording it on their cells no matter what we tell them so it's perfect since the song doesn't bust the play. Yeah, _Welcome to the Slaughterhouse_ should work." She answered with a smile. "Let's get ready, people."

* * *

"I don't get it. Shouldn't the actors be here for the party? Helga Pataki wrote about it on her blog, she should be here!" a girl complained to one of her friends. "Yes, and I want to see David Whitlock already! He's so dreamy!" her friend countered. Circle Theatre was starting to get filled to the brim with people, all eager to see the actors from _Roadside Girl_, but not one of them had been seen yet and that confused people. "I feel guilty for some reason." Maria muttered with a pout and Helga patted her head. "Just imagine their faces when they see us on the stage." She comforted and pulled the curtain back so Maria could stop blaming herself for their fans' displeasure.

Helga grabbed the headset from the technician and adjusted it on her head. She then turned to look at her fellow actors. "Are you guys ready to get the party started?" she asked and they all cheered happily. She was about to hush them so that the people outside wouldn't hear them, but then she remembered that they probably wouldn't notice. "I'm ready when you are, Miss Pataki." The technician said and she gave him a thumbs-up before standing near the curtain again and took a deep breath. "Start."

A dull sound that mostly sounded like the echo of someone banging lazily on a homemade drum ricocheted through the room. It started out too low for anyone to notice, but then it got louder and other instruments started to join in. A few people started to look around in confusion. "What is that?" a boy asked with a frown and looked around. Maria stood beside Helga and the blonde put her hand on Maria's back, ready to push her out when it was time.

"_Locked inside this cage, where all your world's a stage and in this silent rage, can you __turn the page __into something new? The fantasies of burden. These gods, kings and queens won't even dream of peace_." Helga sung in a somewhat broken and hurt voice and some girls started to shriek. "That's Helga Pataki's voice! She's really!" one shrieked and the people started to gather around the stage, having finally caught onto what was about to happen. Helga rolled her eyes sweetly at Maria and then pushed her out after having put another headset on her.

Maria took over the song as she danced gently and sweetly. "_If I could let these thoughts drown and someday she might lose her crown_." She sung and reached out towards the curtain she had just come from. "That's Maria Sheffield!" a girl shrieked and some cheering echoed, which Maria almost smiled at, but kept her feelings at bay and kept gesturing for Helga, or rather Adrasteia to appear. "_In time, these chains that hold me down would set me free_."

Some other dancers appeared from the other side of the stage, all dancing what would be considered lyrical, men as well as women, dressed in their party wear, which didn't particularly suit the sound of the song, but no one in the crowd seems to care. "_No __more__ screams or shouts, you're quiet as a mouse_." Maria sung and put her index finger sensually in front of her mouth, making some people from the audience shriek. "_And in this slaughterhouse, is there no way out of here? They feed the fears and hide the grief of burden. These gods, kings and queens won't even dream of peace_."

The beat of a low drum synchronized with Maria's feet as she went to grab Helga from behind the curtain and twirled her onto the stage, where people started to cheer when they say her. "_If I could let these thoughts drown and someday he might lose his crown_." Helga sung and gestured for David to come onto the stage, which he did and took her hand. "_In time, these chains that hold you down would set you free. Would set you free_." He sung and took Helga possessively away from Maria's grasp who looked hurt at losing her hold, though that was of course all part of the act.

Helga and the rest of the girls on stage sang together harmoniously as they continued to dance, looking like water sprites fading in and out on the stage. "_No more bound and no more doubt. You fall into the wishing well. You're frozen into someone's spell that keeps you running in and out of love_." Arnold appeared on the stage, a grave look in his posture, which Helga copied at the other end of the stage. The blondes froze, while the rest continued to dance. "_Love…_" Helga sang sweetly over the silence and then the music started once more.

Arnold could hear the crowd chanting his and Helga's names in over each other and them dancing in the rain was also mentioned. He smiled on the inside, not at all used to this sort of attention, but he didn't lose focus as he walked towards Helga as she seemed to try to dance away from him. "_If I could let these thoughts drown and someday I might lose my crown_." She sang as she successfully avoided his grasp, staying close to David as if he was a protective shield though he did not see what was going on in front of him. "_In time, these chains that hold me down would set me free_."

Helga continued to stray away from Arnold's grasp, even hid behind David at one point where Arnold simply grabbed her hand from her side and then twirled her back to him. David stepped to the side, seemingly unaware of the love that had suddenly sprout behind his back. "_If I could let these thoughts drown and someday I might lose my crown…_" Helga sang softly in unison with Arnold and they caressed each other's cheek. David seemed to see what was going on and grabbed Helga's waist though he stayed frozen there as he took over the singing."_In time, these chains that hold you down won't set you free. Won't set you free_."

All the dancers fell elegantly to the floor as the music died and the crowd started applauding loudly. Helga was breathing heavily and David let go of her with a smile. "Way to go, you two." He said after turning his headset off and patted Helga's back. She turned to smile at him and then nudged Arnold's arm until he turned to face the crowd. They all took each other's hands and bowed to the audience, all of them continuing to cheer loudly. "You should probably say something." David whispered in Helga's ear.

Helga nodded and took a step forward, holding her hands up to still the crowd though it didn't work that well. "Quiet down, please." She begged nicely at first, but when it didn't work, she scowled at them. "Shut up!" she yelled and some people in the crowd laughed, while David and Arnold turned to look at each other and rolled their eyes. "Thank you." Helga said in appreciation to the crowd and that hopefully mended the few people who may have gotten offended. "We are all so happy to see how many people have showed up to support our play. This was a little teaser for what the play will be about and we hope to see you all at the premiere, but until then: let's get this party started!"

The crowd cheered again while Helga stepped back to join her fellow actors to leave the stage. She quickly turned off her headset and then sighed. "_Let's get this party started_, my ass! I'm already tired." She admitted and pulled the headset off her head and gave it to the technician. "Well, you gotta be out there to party with the rest of us." David said with artificial guilt in his voice and laid his arm lazily over her shoulders. "Oh, boo." She retorted with a smile. The cheering crowd suddenly died when some music started and Helga looked towards the DJ in disbelief. "P!nk, _Let's get this party started_…" she mumbled with a snicker and the DJ shrugged at her with a big grin on his stubble-filled face. "Fine. I give in. I'm already dressed up anyway." Helga said and quickly found Phoebe's face in the crowd since the Asian girl was headed towards them, holding Gerald's hand in order not to lose him.

"That was so good!" Phoebe complimented and let go of Gerald's hand to hug Helga. "Man, I never thought I'd see the day when my main man would be dancing like that." Gerald said and gestured towards Arnold. The blonde boy grinned and took his hand to do their signature handshake. "Thanks." He answered and Gerald than swung his arm over Arnold's shoulders. "I don't get why you two have become an item, but you sure did have chemistry on the stage." The dark boy continued, which Helga blew a raspberry at him for saying. Gerald just stuck his tongue out too, earning a laugh from his girlfriend for the childish action. "Come on! Let's dance!" Phoebe said and started to pull Helga out on the dance floor. The blonde girl laughed at her enthusiasm and quickly grabbed Arnold's hand. "Bring Tall Hair Boy with you!" she said and Arnold obediently grabbed Gerald's wrist to pull him along with them. "Dude," Gerald said with a grin. "You are so whipped!"

"There they go…" Maria said with a warm smile, while David wore a rather fake one on his face. It was a little discouraging to see Helga with her old friends. He felt somewhat possessive of her though he would never admit that to anyone, especially since he didn't have any right at all to monopolize her. He knew that his feelings of love were slowly fading away, him being the one to encourage them to disappear, but he still had strong feelings for the girl.

"You ok?" Maria asked in a small voice and bumped her elbow on David's arm. He turned to smile halfheartedly at her. "Both yes and no… It's just weird to see Helga with her childhood friends." He answered and looked towards Helga who was currently dancing with Arnold and her friends. "Those people knew Helga as a child and I'm… a little jealous of that. They got to watch her grow up." He explained and saw Maria nodding. "I kind of get that… I feel jealous of Helga too." She replied and he frowned in confusion at that. "She got to see you grow from a young teenager to the man you are now."

David smiled at that. Maria was so sweet and sincere all the time. It was almost hard to get used to after dating Helga for that long. He kissed Maria's forehead sweetly and she smiled at him. The sound of people talking caught their attention and it seemed like Helga and Arnold were suddenly the center of attention, partying and dancing forgotten. "I saw the video of you two dancing in the rain, it was beyond cute!" a girl shrieked and Helga did her best not to frown at her enthusiasm. She was never very fond of squealing fan-girls. She turned to look at Arnold who had his left shoulder pressed against hers. He seemed to be able to smile much kindlier to the girls surrounding him than Helga could. "Th-Thank you." He said to a girl who had just complimented him though he felt rather shy under all the attention.

"So are you two dating?" a girl asked. "Or is it just a way to advertise for the play?" a boy asked, earning an elbow from the girl next to him who looked extremely offended at the mere thought. "Uh…" both Arnold and Helga mumbled and then looked at each other. Silence seemed to overtake the people closest to them, all awaiting patiently, but eagerly for the answer. David, who was still watching the display, held his breath. He felt the world slow down as Arnold started to smile, which made Helga smile back and she nodded to his unspoken question. "Yes." They answered in unison and looked back at the teenagers around them, who started to cheer loudly. Helga's hand searched for Arnold's behind her and he squeezed hers as soon as they found each other.

David felt his heart get stuck in his throat and before Maria could ask him if he was ok, he excused himself and walked away from her. He walked past the blonde newly born couple, trying to avoid Helga's gaze, but she saw him. The smile on her face faded as she watched him disappear in the crowd and saw Maria jogging after him. She was about to ask Maria what had happened, but Helga wasn't stupid; she knew what had happened so she kept her mouth shut. The smile came back on her face when a girl congratulated her and she smiled reassuringly at Arnold who had obviously noticed her sudden discomfort.

"Excuse us, people!" Gerald suddenly yelled, earning some people's attention. "We understand your curiosity, but tonight is about partying and since these two just became a couple, how about giving them a little space?" he asked. Some people understood and walked away, but a few stayed back for another minute until both Gerald and Phoebe shooed them away. The blondes smiled at them appreciatively and quickly stormed off in another part of the room, sitting down on one of the couches.

"Did I push it?" Arnold asked and Helga looked at him in surprise. "I know we were kind of put in an awkward position just before, but I meant what I said. I do want to be with you, Helga, and I'm hoping - - " he continued until she silenced him with a kiss. Once she felt him calm down, she let go and smiled at him. "I feel the same, Arnold…" She told him and a grin spread on his face. He then licked his lip and frowned. "Then… why did you look like that just before?" he asked and she sighed. "David, he… he ran out just now." She admitted and Arnold's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh…" he mumbled and sighed guiltily. "Do you want to go after - - "

"No! No, Maria is already with him so it's ok. I guess I just… I had just hoped that he had…"

"Gotten over you?"

"I wouldn't phrase it like that, but yes…" Helga answered with a pained smile. Arnold put his hand on her head and placed it on his shoulder. She smiled at the comforting gesture and she put her legs over his lap to snuggle closer to him. "I feel like no matter what I do, I cause pain to someone." She admitted and he looked at her in surprise. "That's not true." He insisted, but she obviously didn't believe him. "Helga, if you said that to David, he would feel terrible and tell you what I'm telling you."

"Maybe…" Helga muttered and rested her head on Arnold's shoulder. He nuzzled his cheek over her head, wondering how he could make her feel better. He felt like doing something she wouldn't expect, something that truly could put a smile on her face even if it was mostly because he would seem silly. Then he got an idea and boy, did he feel embarrassed already, but he had little to no doubt that it wouldn't work. He caressed her cheek as he pulled her head a little up so he could whisper in her ear. "_I don't mind spending every day out on your corner in the pouring rain_…" he sung and Helga's eyes widened in recognition."_Look for the girl with the broken smile. Ask her if she wants to stay awhile._"

Helga's smile was almost wider than her face and she snickered for a moment because it really was embarrassing albeit wonderful to be serenaded by your boyfriend like this. "_And she will be loved._" He continued, a smile spreading on his face when he heard her starting to sing along."_And she will be loved_…" they finished and she leaned up to smile at him. "Thank you…" she whispered and kissed him. His fingers on her neck caressed her as her tongue licked his lips, barely aware of the camera phones snapping pictures of them. They also couldn't care less; they were now officially together.

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: If you know the song **_**Welcome to the Slaughterhouse**_**, you'll notice that I changed the lyrics here and there in order for it to make more sense for this scene.**

**Also, I wanted to give a sort of update to what David and Maria were thinking and how far they were in their relationship. I wouldn't say that they're dating, more like being friends that are trying to figure out if they could work.**

**Songs:**

**Lily Holbrook – "Welcome to the Slaughterhouse"**

**Maroon 5 – "She will be loved"**


	17. Running on 1 percent

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After Arnold and Helga's semi discussion, they felt rather uncomfortable around each other. It wasn't until the party Saturday night that they managed to talk it out and got to understand each other again to their friends' happiness.**_

_**The party started out with the fans growing impatient until the cast for Roadside Girl performed what was the opening song for the play and the party soon escalated fast as Arnold and Helga were confronted by their shippers. To David's unexplainable shock, Arnold and Helga officially announced their relationship and he stormed out with Maria going after him.**_

_**Helga confessed to Arnold that she hated to see David hurt, but that she wouldn't change her mind about breaking up with him and dating Arnold.**_

**Author's 1st note: Don't know what to say! Warning: turbulent chapter ahead! Enjoy Cx**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 17: "Running on 1%"

"I didn't know you smoke…"

David almost bit on the bud of the cigarette in his mouth in surprise when he heard Maria's voice next to him. He was currently sitting on the asphalt; his back leant against the wall that was shielding the party going on inside what was called Circle Theatre. He gave her a sullen look and simply inhaled from the cigarette again and exhaling the smoke slowly. "I don't do it on a daily basis." He replied and put the cigarette to his mouth again. "Only when you're feeling down?" Maria questioned and sat down next to him. He sighed. "Maria, I really don't wanna go into a therapy session right now." He replied. "What if it's a therapy session including prescribed alcohol?" she asked and showed a bottle she had in her hand. He looked at it as she waved it temptingly and he sighed as he took it.

Maria watched as David chugged the whole thing down in one gulp. _A smoker and a heavy drinker when down in the dumps…_ She thought and took the now empty bottle. "Want me to get you another one?" she asked and he seemed to think about it for a moment and then gave her a halfhearted smile. "Do you mind?" he asked and she shook her head before standing up and walking back inside. David turned his head to look at the mostly empty street in front of him as she nibbled on his cigarette. Why was he being such a baby, letting himself get pampered? He really hated being like this. _I don't have any right to be angry… so why am I?_

Maria came back then, a couple of different bottles in her arms. David quirked an eyebrow at the different items in her embrace, but helped her put them down safely on the ground. "Thanks." He said and took a bottle without looking at what it was and chugged down that one too. "You sure you don't wanna talk about it? Or at least vent your feelings just a bit?" Maria asked as she drank from her own bottle and David sighed again. "I wouldn't know what to say. I'm not as good with words as you are…" He muttered, but she just shrugged. "Then talk gibberish." She replied and he looked at her again. "Don't just sulk out here while drinking. Save that for when you're old and alone."

The corner of David's mouth went up at Maria's attempt at a joke. "I don't know what to say. I just… feel pissed." He replied and she gave him a look that urged him to continue. "I know that… Helga has been honest with me all the way through. I know that she never felt anything for me, but that she did her best… I know I should just be happy for her, but I still feel a little betrayed. Like… I've been there for her for seven years straight and this guy just comes in and sweeps her off her feet and then I'm forgotten."

"You're not forgotten, David. Helga cares a lot about you."

"But I'm always gonna be number two…" David remarked with a frown and took a gulp from the bottle. "If not number three behind Phoebe."

"Oh, blah-blah-blah!" Maria suddenly retorted, causing David to look curiously at her. "Why are you so negative? You can't measure love like that! She would be devastated if she saw you now, I'm pretty sure she is actually. She saw you running out, you know." She told him and he blinked in surprise. "She did?" he asked with a bit of a guilty frown. He had hoped she wouldn't see him like that. Maria nodded. "Yeah, she was about to go after you, but I told her I would so she stayed back."

David sighed and let the back of his head hit the wall behind him. "Great. So now Arnold can comfort her, which is his specialty…" He muttered a little hatefully, earning a fist to his arm from Maria. "Do remember why she would need comforting to begin with." She pointed out as he rubbed his arm. He huffed at her words and drank from his bottle again. "Yeah, yeah. I'm the bad guy here… but I think Helga has part of the blame too." He retorted. "Well, I suppose so… but she's in love with Arnold, David. You can't change that." she replied and David smirked at that. "That's true… but she's forgetting something."

"What?" Maria asked and David gave her a look. Maria waited for him to talk, but he was obviously waiting for her to figure it out herself so she thought about it. About ten seconds later, she was ready to give up and ask him, but then it dawned on her. "Oh… yeah, that's… a minor detail." She muttered and put her bottle to her lips without drinking. "Minor detail, my ass…" David muttered and let his eyes casually follow two girls who were walking into the club. "I wonder if Helga is so love-struck that she has forgotten or if she's avoiding it."

The girl David had been looking at stumbled inside Circle Theatre, holding the other girl's hand. "Oh, man! We'll never find Helga Pataki in here!" she yelled over the music, but then her brown-haired girlfriend pointed. "There!" she said and her eyes followed. On one of the couches did Helga Pataki indeed sit with her newly announced boyfriend and was talking with him. "They are so cute together." One of the girls said and pulled the other towards the couch.

"Should I try to talk to David at some point?" Helga asked, unaware of the girls approaching her and Arnold. "It might be a good idea for the both of you to air your feelings." Arnold replied and she nodded. "See? You still give good advice." She said teasingly and he smiled at her, about to kiss her. "Excuse me?" a girl in front of them said and the blonde couple turned to look at her. Two girls were standing in front of them, one with brown-hair, the other with black, but both smiling. "Hello, I, um…" the brunette continued, but then stopped talking. "Come on, honey." Her female companion said and nudged her elbow on her arm. The brunette smiled appreciatively and turned to look at Helga again. "I just wanted to say that I am such a huge fan of you."

Helga smiled at the brunette's words, which encouraged her to go on. "You acted as Gabrielle in _The power of love_ a year back, right?" the brunette asked, which Helga nodded at. "I just wanted to tell you that the play, and _you_ particularly, inspired me to confess to this one." The brunette continued and tilted her head towards the black-haired girl next to her who was smiling sweetly. Helga looked between them for a moment, slightly confused, but then a wide grin spread on her face. "Really?" she asked and put her hand on her chest. The girls nodded and put their hands around each other, both beaming with happiness. "I would never have had the courage to come out if it hadn't been for you. I read the interviews about you and _The power of love_ and it felt like you were speaking to me."

Helga was smiling so widely that it almost hurt. "I never thought I… I would have such a positive input on someone's life." She said and turned to look at Arnold. "Who would have known?" she wondered sarcastically. "I would." He responded. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "But, girls, all I really did was act in a play." She pointed out, but the girls shook their heads. "I can think of a lot of people who would never have chosen to act as a lesbian. You took a chance. I read the bad reviews of the play too and they just reek of homophobia and that's why I think you're brave." The black-haired girl interjected and Helga smiled again. "Thank you for approaching me to tell me that. It means a lot."

"Oh, also…" the brunette said and pulled a camera out of her pocket. She smiled guiltily at Helga who rolled her eyes good-heartedly at the silent request. "We totally respect your privacy, but could we have just one picture with you?" the black-haired girl asked. "Sure." Helga replied and called for Phoebe who was dancing with Gerald nearby. The Asian girl turned to look at her. "Could you take our picture, Phoebs?" she asked as the girls approached Phoebe. "Oh, sure!" Phoebe replied and took the camera. "Thank you so much!" the girls said in unison and stepped behind the couch, right behind Helga. Arnold quickly scooted to the side, but the brunette grabbed his shoulder. "No, no! We want Arnold to be in it too."

"How do you know my name?" Arnold asked in confusion, but sat back next to Helga. She shot him a slanted look and then looked at the girls apologetically. "Sorry, he's not used to this just yet." She said and turned to smile at Phoebe who was holding the camera up. "Say cheese." She requested and they all did as she took the picture. "Thank you so much, Helga Pataki." The brunette said and quickly ran around the couch to grab her camera from Phoebe. "Say Helga." Helga ordered with a smirk and the girls smiled happily. "Have a good evening, Helga! You too, Arnold." the black-haired girl said and followed her girlfriend into the crowd.

Helga laughed in surprise as Phoebe sat down next to her, Gerald joining her on her other side. "One of those girls got the courage to confess her love to another girl thanks to a play I was in…" Helga muttered. "I didn't think that… that I would influence anyone like that… _ever_." she continued in awe. "See?" Arnold asked and took her hand, using his thumb to caress it. She nodded and started smiling at him. "Yeah…" she muttered and turned to look at Phoebe when she felt her hand caress her shoulder. "Ok." She said and stood up. "I am gonna party tonight like there's no tomorrow! And there won't be because I'll be so hung-over that I'll sleep the whole day away."

* * *

And they did indeed get the party started. Like Helga had sworn, she got herself drunk rather quickly and to her pleasure, managed to get a few shots down Arnold's throat too, albeit only because she tempted him by offering to give it to him through her mouth. Not that she minded. About an hour later, she had been dancing with Arnold for 30 minutes straight, only taking breaks in order to drink.

A song that Helga knew, but didn't recognize was momentarily drowned out when the DJ spoke into his mic. "Helga Pataki, two girls are asking for you. Come to the booth, please." He requested and turned the volume of the song back up. "Who the fuck could that be?" Helga asked in a loud and slurred voice even though Arnold had his ear right next to her mouth. He figured it wouldn't make a difference in the long run though. The music was already so loud that he could feel those little hairs in his middle ear dying. He had a big, boyish grin on his face while Helga pulled him towards the booth.

"What's up?" Helga asked the DJ who simply pointed at the two girls next to him. "Hi, there! Who are you?" Helga asked, swaying a little as she did, but got steadied by Arnold's arm around her waist. "Do I know you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "No, but I'm a huge fan!" one of the girls answered in a high-pitched voice. "Hah! I'm starting to see a trend, Football H-Hat!" Helga mispronounced in a giddy voice. "People are lining up to meet me!"

The girls giggled girlishly, obviously shy in Helga's presence even though she was just as drunk as they were. "We were hoping you could sing for us?" one of them asked right before the other folded her hands pleadingly. "Pretty please?" she begged. "Oh, I don't know…" Helga replied in a teasing singsong voice. She really didn't mind singing and she figured this was the last chance before she got too drunk to remember the lyrics to _Itsy bitsy spider_.

"Oh, come on!" a girl begged and turned to look at the DJ. She grabbed his mic without asking, but he just rolled his eyes at the drunken girl rather than trying to get ahold of it again. "Hey, everybody! Who would like to hear Helga Pataki sing?!" she yelled into the mic and the crowd cheered despite the obviously ringing that eluded in the room. Helga then grabbed the mic. "Oh, fine! What do you want me to sing?" she asked and the crowd started throwing hundreds of different song titles at her. "I only got two ears! And I'm only gonna sing _one_ song… This evening isn't about me. Besides, soon I'll be too drunk to sing anything."

The crowd laughed though Helga in the back of her mind where she wasn't drunk had a feeling the laughing was mostly due to the alcohol. She hadn't really been making a joke either, so who cared? "I'll take one request and one request only… Girls, since you were the ones who wanted me up here, what would you like me to sing?" she asked and the girls looked at each other. One of them shrugged so the other went to whisper in Helga's ear. Helga smiled. "I love that one!" she said and turned to the DJ. "You got any Shania Twain in there?" she asked as she held her hand over the mic. "I've got everything she's ever made. What are you thinking, honey?" he asked and gestured to the list of Shania Twain songs. She smiled as she pointed at the one the girl had requested and he nodded. "Knock 'em dead."

"I'm not that bad of a singer." Helga insisted and stuck her tongue out at the DJ who snickered at her words. "Arnold, make sure to stand in front of the crowd, ok?" she whispered to Arnold, kissed his cheek and jumped on the stage. Arnold grinned as he moved towards the front of the stage, noticing how Gerald and Phoebe had made sure to get spots there too. "You know what she's gonna sing?" Gerald asked. "A Shania Twain song." Arnold replied, but then shrugged. "Don't know anymore."

Arnold wasn't sure when or how Helga had gotten herself a mic, but she was indeed holding one now as she stood on the stage. He didn't recognize the song playing, but then again he had never listened much to a whole lot of Shania Twain's songs. Helga seemed to like the song though if the way she was bopping her head was any indication. Arnold wrote in his mental scrapbook to look up Shania Twain's songs later.

"_Don't want you for a weekend._" Helga sang and the sound of something resembling a mechanic tuba tooted its horn one short time and then four quick times. "_Don't want you for a night._ _I'm only interested if I can have you for life._" She continued and seemed to sober up just a bit because the slur in her voice was getting less apparent. Arnold was smiling at her words, especially when she looked at him as if she was singing especially to him. Gerald seemed to think the same because his elbow started to nudge Arnold's arm. Arnold shoved his arm away playfully, but Gerald just started tussling with his hair.

"_I know I sound serious… and, baby, I am. You're a fine piece of real estate and I'm gonna get me some land._" Helga sang and started to really get into the song as the crowd cheered, some people even singing along. Her voice was echoing in the whole room and eventually David and Maria noticed it outside. "Is that Helga…?" Maria muttered in absolute slur. She wasn't much of a drinker, but in the attempt of keeping up with David, she had been drowning bottle after bottle through the last hour. "Huh?" David groaned in annoyance and leaned over her to get closer to the sound. "Oh. Yeah! That sounds like Helga…" he said before hiccupping and thereafter frowning at the cartoonish way it had sounded.

"Wanna go check her out?" Maria asked and was trying to stand up. As soon as she did, she slipped and landed on David. "Oopsie…" she mumbled giddily and chuckled. David snickered at her, pushed at her back to get her standing up and then stood up himself. She was swaying a lot as she walked, which David did as well though he wasn't nearly as drunk as she was. While he wasn't a heavy drinker, he had been to his fair share of parties over the years. He grabbed ahold of Maria's waist as they walked and she giggled goofily at that.

David by mere luck, and perhaps because he still felt a little angry from earlier, managed to squeeze through the crowd of people to get near the stage. "She's singing! Helga's singing!" Maria said as she pointed on Helga on the stage and lost her balance when she did. "Whoa!" she exclaimed before landing on the floor and pulling David down with her. "You ok?" she asked and he just shot her a slanted look. "You're the one who fell!" he pointed out, but she just blew a raspberry at him. "Come on, you klutzy baby." He said and tried to get her standing up, but as his hands went beneath her arms, she started laughing uncontrollably. "That tickles!"

"Oh, give me a break!" David said before falling backwards into someone's legs. "Watch it, shrimp!" the guy whose legs David had hit warned him before he looked back at the stage. David just rolled his eyes, ignoring the big goon above him. "Stand up!" David ordered Maria as he turned onto his knees and took her hands. She was still in her laughing fit, but he managed to get her standing up. "Shit, when did I become your babysitter?" he asked before looking up at the stage and then smiled. Helga was indeed standing up there, singing her lungs out and still sounding amazing. _I suddenly remember why I fell for her…_ He thought, but slowly that smile turned into a frown.

"_I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact. I'm gonna getcha, don't you worry about that. You can bet your bottom dollar, in time you're gonna be mine. Just like I should: I'll getcha good_." Helga continued to sing, but now got down on her knees right in front of Arnold whom David hadn't noticed until then. Arnold had his arms casually placed on the scene, his face one big grin at this point just like Helga's was one big Cheshire smile. David could feel his heart leap into his throat, staying there as if trying to choke him. He wanted to shut his eyes tight when Helga used her free hand to caress Arnold's cheek, her enchanting voice still singing.

David couldn't hear Maria calling his name or even feel that she was shaking his shirt with her small hand. He just kept staring as Helga finished singing and then kissed Arnold sweetly, earning a huge applause from the crowd. It could have been the alcohol, really, he wouldn't be sure later this night, but suddenly he felt himself throwing up in the middle of the floor. "Ew!" a girl shrieked and jumped backwards, alarming some of the other people around him. "David, are you ok?!" Maria asked in a panic, sobering almost instantly. "Yeah… I'd like some water though…" he mumbled and averted his eyes from the small puddle of vomit on the floor. "S-Sure." Maria responded, wrapped her arm under his arms and guided him to the bar.

"You were amazing!" Arnold complimented Helga as he helped her down from the stage. She chuckled happily, as she offered the mic to the DJ who quickly grabbed it before she was too close to the floor. "You think so?" she asked and put her arms over Arnold's shoulders. "Yeah…" he answered and leaned closer to kiss her, but then a snort from a girl nearby caught his ears. "I can't believe someone threw up on the floor just like that! It's super disgusting!" she uttered and stuck her tongue out in disgust. Helga was looking at them curiously. "Somebody threw up?" she asked, but wondered right after why she even cared. "Yeah! Some dude totally just vomited all over the floor! We're gonna go get someone to clean it up." Another girl answered and then they disappeared.

"What an overreaction." Helga mumbled and rolled her eyes. "Uh, Helga…" Phoebe said in a small voice in according to the music as she poked Helga's shoulder. The blonde girl turned around to look at her. "I believe I saw Maria carrying David towards the bar. Perhaps he was the one who felt sick?" she suggested and Helga's eyes widened. "David? No way! He's not exactly a lightweight." She insisted, but her face grew worried. "I-I'll go check." She muttered and walked away without another word. "Wait, Helga! Let me - - " Arnold said as he was about to go after her, but Gerald grabbed his hand and stopped him. Arnold turned to question him, but Gerald just shook his head. "I think they need to talk alone."

While Arnold was reluctant to let Helga go, she did indeed go to the bar on her own. It took some time because she needed to get through the swarm of people. When she caught sight of the green hair decoration she knew Maria was wearing, she knew David would be next to her. "Maria?" she asked and reached her hand out for her. Maria turned to look at her, grabbed her hand and pulled her out from the crowd. "Helga?"

"Is David…?" Helga started, but then saw David looking at her in surprise. He was sitting on one of the bar chairs with a glass of water in his hand, his eyes a little glassy from the alcohol and probably from feeling sick. "What's with you and the vomiting? You outta shape, champion?" she asked teasingly and nudged up against his arm. He kept looking at her for a bit, but then turned his eyes away from her as he drank from the glass. "Ooh, _ice-ice, baby_…" she sang teasingly, but when he didn't laugh, she frowned. "You ok?"

David's eyes turned to look at Helga again, his light blue eyes looking somewhat more grayish. She didn't falter under that slightly familiar gaze though, despite knowing what that look meant. "I want to talk to you." he announced and she leaned closer. "Alone." He added and chugged down the rest of the glass. "It's gonna be a little hard with all these people here." She joked, but he just took her hand and led her away. "Hey! Hold on! David, you're hurting me!" she sneered, but he just kept pulling her away from the crowd, leaving Maria to wonder whether she should tell Arnold what was going on.

"What do you think you're doing? Let me go!" Helga ordered as David pulled her outside and finally faced her and let go. "What is your fucking problem?!" she shouted angrily. "My problem, Helga, you wanna know what my problem is?!" he asked. "Yeah, that's why I'm asking, dumbass!" she replied. "My problem is this whole thing with you and Arnold!" he answered and she groaned loudly. "Again with me and Arnold! You know what? You're one big ass liar, you know that?" she asked him, her anger seething already. She'd had a feeling this would happen, she had just hoped that feeling had been wrong. "You say you want me to be happy, but what you really mean is you want me to be happy with _you_!"

"_What_?!"

"Oh, don't play stupid! It's always been like this! You're happiest when I'm miserable, that's our thing, isn't it? Because that way I can have someone to turn to and you can get the feeling of being needed!"

"Oh, screw you, Helga!"

"No! Screw _you_, David! Look, I know I hurt you, ok?" Helga said, forcing her voice to a more calming manner. David was panting from yelling, but he didn't seem like he was planning to interrupt her so she continued. "And I am sorry for that… I'm sorry for wanting to give you a chance and thereby giving you false hope… because I couldn't forget Arnold. _That_ I'm sorry for… but I refuse to apologize for being together with Arnold now. I refuse to make excuses and apologize for being _happy_ and you shouldn't want me to either."

"It's not about that." David said. Helga felt like screaming at him for denying it, but inhaled deeply to calm herself instead. "Then what is it about?" she asked, but he didn't answer. He just looked at her, apparently waiting for her to guess or something. "David, I'm not a mind reader. If it's not that then what _is_ it?" she asked, but he just shook his head as if he didn't believe she needed to ask. "Boy, you're stupid!" he declared, unknowingly adding fuel to her anger. "Why am I stupid?! Because I'm finally with the love of my life?" she asked, but he laughed at her. "Is that it?!"

"Love of your life, are you kidding me?! Helga, you had an unhealthy obsession with that boy through your whole goddamn childhood!" David shouted, catching Helga off guard. "You were a lonely, sad and angry little girl who got a few kind words from a random boy and then followed him like a lost puppy for years! What did he do to deserve you? Do you really love him and not just the idea of someone loving you?"

"If…" Helga started, shocked at his words, but then shook her head. "If that had been all it was, I could just have stayed with you! _You_ loved me!"

"I did! Yes, I did, but it wasn't enough. I wasn't your Prince Charming, but after meeting him personally… Well, frankly, Helga, I don't get your tastes." David said with a sour expression and crossed his arms. _Oh, the level of maturity of that guy when he's angry…_ Helga thought and sighed. "You don't need to get it, David; you just need to accept it. If you can't, then I can't be your friend anymore." She said honestly, though it hurt to say it. David was looking away from her, but the shock on his face was evident. Helga waited for him to speak, but he was just biting his lower lip and curling his hand into a fist. "I'm done." She said and started walking towards the club.

Helga barely made it past David before he spoke again. "You're forgetting something, Helga." He said and the grave tone in his voice made her halt. She turned to look at him, an expression of confusion on her face. She didn't ask what he was talking about though, but just went to stand next to him to see his face again. "There's something you've forgotten completely… You could also just be playing dumb or be in denial, but I think it's the first option." He continued and once more, she tried to hold her anger inside. "What have I forgotten, David?" she asked patiently.

It took a few seconds before David turned his body around to look at Helga properly. "What about after the play?" he asked, which Helga just frowned at. "After the play…? What about after the play?" she questioned, but he just sighed. "You really are stupid…" He muttered more as a statement than an accusation. "What are you two going to do once we're done with the play?" he asked more directly, but the look on Helga's face told him that she still didn't understand. He decided to give her a moment though and waited patiently for her to realize.

"What we're…? Well, we'll still be together." Helga replied and crossed her arms. "How? How are you going to be together?" David asked and then her patience ran out. "Stop with the stupid interrogation! If you want me to answer a question then fucking ask one instead of talking in riddles!" she yelled, but he didn't say anything. "What do you want me to realize, huh? I'm obviously too stupid to catch on so why don't you enlighten me?! Why would anything change once the play is over? Why would Arnold and I not be able to be together? Why would… we…."

David could see that while Helga hadn't fully realized yet, her mind was slowly processing the information. Her face twitched a bit as the wheels in her head churned. David's words were echoing through her mind: _"You're forgetting something, Helga. What about after the play? What are you two going to do once we're done with the play? How are you going to be together?"_ and then it hit her like an anvil falling from the sky.

David almost felt sorry for Helga when reality hit her and she even gasped. She looked at him, sorrow flooding in her eyes. "Helga… I'm sorry. I really am…" he said and approached her as she shook her head, still hoping that she would forget this information again. She felt David's arms wrap around her, arms that used to be like walls protecting her from her own pain, but now they just felt like glass; fragile and breakable. "Helga, I'll always be there because I _can_… Arnold won't be able to be there for you soon… I know it's not fair and I _am_ sorry, but it's the reality…" He continued in what Helga knew was supposed to be in a soothing voice, but it felt cruel.

"Helga…?" Arnold's voice asked near the door and Helga felt her heart leap into her throat. David turned to look at Arnold who had just walked outside and was now staring at them in shock. Arnold had never considered that Helga would have feelings for David, but the way David was looking at him so guiltily… something was wrong and Arnold needed to find out, but before he could say anything, Helga pushed herself away from David. She didn't look at either of them for a moment, but then shot a look of pure hatred at David. "_Fuck you._" she hissed with disgust dripping from her voice and then turned to run.

David didn't feel hurt by Helga's words; he knew why she had said them. They had nothing to do with him, she was just furious at the messenger for delivering the message. "Helga!" Arnold called and took a couple of steps towards her, but then turned to look at David. "What did you say to her?!" he asked accusingly, but David just sighed. "I'm sorry, Arnold, but someone had to put some sense into that love-filled brain of hers. Honestly, I'd rather want that someone to be me rather than someone else." He answered. Arnold looked at him in disbelief, but then shook his head. "I don't care what that means." He declared before running after Helga.

David stayed back, watching the two blondes running down the street. He turned around, looking around to make sure no one had seen them. There wasn't an eye in sight; everyone were inside partying. He turned around, about to walk into the club, but then saw Maria in the mass. She was trying to get through to get to him and then caught his eyes. They looked at each other for a moment, but then David shut his eyes painfully tight and punched a fist into the wall next to him. _Shit!_

"Helga!" Arnold called in such a loud voice that it already felt raspy. Helga hadn't heard him the first time, but stopped then. Tears were running down her eyes quicker than water from a waterfall, but she didn't care about that. The pain she felt so abruptly had been like a stab to her heart and she knew that her anger with David was unfair, but she couldn't help it. Why had he felt the need to remind her? Would it have been so horrible to leave her in blissful oblivion for some more time? She didn't want to deal with the future in the present.

"Finally… caught up… with you…" Arnold said in-between pants. He attempted a smile, but Helga didn't turn around to face him. "Helga, what did David say?" he asked. She flinched at the reminder, almost as if the words had stung her. "Helga?" Arnold questioned and put his hand on her shoulder. "No, don't. I…" she tried, but he still went around her and held her shoulders firmly. "Helga, what's going on? Why… Why are you crying? And so much… What did David say to you?"

Helga opened her mouth as if about to answer, but it turned into a choke. She was crying silently, but heavily and it was too much. She couldn't deal with telling Arnold right now. She couldn't even get herself to look at him. She just wanted to go home and get away from everything. It had been seven years since she last felt like this. "I'm…" she started, trying feebly to figure out an excuse to get out of this. She wanted to tell him something reassuring, something that would make him let her go without following her again, but she couldn't think of anything.

"Helga…?" Arnold probed gently and upon hearing her name, Helga inhaled sharply as if coming back to life. "I… I'm sorry…" She finally said, her voice cracking. Arnold's eyes widened in uncertainty. "Hel - - " he started, but then she pushed him aside and started running. Arnold opened his mouth to call her again, but heard no sound coming out of his mouth. He was frozen on the spot, Helga's last words echoing in his mind. He wanted to wonder what she had been apologizing for, but it was like his brain was shutting down to protect him. Mechanically, like a robot running on 1% of its battery, he turned around to walk back to Circle Theatre.

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: So… have you realized what the big issue here is? xD I am not going to "announce it" just yet in case not everyone has figured it out, but do write if you have guessed or is trying to guess though I won't answer if it's right or not :P**

**Song:**

**Shania Twain – "Getcha good"**


	18. Absence makes the heart grow fonder

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After Arnold and Helga had officially announced their relationship at the party, David ran out of Circle Theatre. Maria followed him and they started drinking together while he vented his feelings on her.**_

_**A couple of girls requested Helga to sing a song for them all and to her happiness, it was a song she adored. Unbeknownst to her, David and Maria recognized her voice and went inside, only for David to vomit when Helga kissed Arnold once the love song was over.**_

_**Helga tried to talk to David, but it ended up in a fight. David couldn't handle Helga's obliviousness anymore and ended up reminding her of something very important she had forgotten. In tears, Helga ran away from the party, apologizing to Arnold without any explanation.**_

**Author's 1st note: Ok! I want to make something clear before you read this chapter: One, I am TERRIBLE with Geography; I don't know where anything is! Two, Craig Bartlett has mentioned that Seattle, Portland and Brooklyn inspired Hillwood, so I had to choose between these cities for a position of Hillwood in order to do this chapter. If anyone is dissatisfied with the position or if I have miscalculated the miles or something (I tried to keep it vague in order for that not to happen) then do tell me, though don't be rude about it: I'm Danish, how am I supposed to know? I barely know where anything is in my **_**own**_** neighborhood xD**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 18: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

"What were you thinking?!" Phoebe hissed angrily at David, hoping that no one else would notice her words. David wasn't looking at her though; he had his head locked to the side, refusing to acknowledge that she was talking to him. "I wasn't thinking." He admitted. "Yeah, no shit!" Phoebe retorted, surprising Maria who was standing near them next to Gerald. Gerald knew though that when Phoebe was truly angry, she could curse with the best of them, and right now, she was furious. After she and Gerald had decided to follow Arnold out on the street, only David and Maria were outside. Once Maria had told them what had happened, much to David's displeasure, Phoebe had thrown a tantrum.

"She was going to realize it sooner or later." David hissed. "I figured the sooner she realized, the sooner she would figure out a way to - - "

"To what?!" Phoebe repeated. "The sooner she would come crawling back to you?"

"No!"

"Yes! That is why you did this, isn't it? You're hoping that Helga will be miserable again and that she will need you once more rather than Arnold!"

"No! That is _not_ what - - "

"David, please lower your voice." Maria begged, noticing that two boys had just walked out of Circle Theatre in order to smoke. David held his tongue and crossed his arms around himself. "Listen to me, Phoebe. I know Helga is hurt right now and I am sorry, but that doesn't change the fact that this is not _my fault_. I told her the truth. What else was I supposed to do? Let her live in happy oblivion until the play was over?"

"Yes! If any girl deserves some happy oblivion, it's Helga! If you love her so much, you would have let her have that." Phoebe retorted. Despite glaring at David, she noticed Arnold walking towards them. She kept looking at him, while David started responding, oblivious to Arnold's growing presence behind him. It wasn't until he felt a pair of hands pushing at him, Phoebe jumping nimbly to the side in order not to get in the middle of the two of them, that he realized Arnold was back.

"What did you say to Helga?" Arnold asked angrily as David turned to look at him. "What happened?" Gerald asked worriedly and Arnold looked towards him. "Helga went home in tears." He replied, causing the two girls to gasp though Phoebe's sob quickly turned into a growl. She pushed at David angrily before Gerald grabbed her wrist in order to stop her. Phoebe didn't have the intention of continuing an assault though and stepped obediently to the side. "I don't know what you did or said to Helga, but I have _never_ seen her so sad before." Arnold hissed, but David snorted, the flash of guilt on his face disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. "That's hard to believe."

Arnold sneered and lifted his fist, unaware if he really had the intention to hit David, but never got the chance to figure out before Gerald grabbed his arm. "Whoa, chill!" he ordered and forced Arnold's arm down. "What did you say to her?!" Arnold asked after having shot a displeased look in Gerald's direction, but his friend refused to let go of his arm. "I just reminded her of the facts of life! Why am I the bad guy here?" David asked. "Because Helga was crying because of you!" Arnold answered in a loud voice. "Arnold, keep your voice down." Gerald whispered, but he didn't listen.

"_No_, Helga was crying because she suddenly remembered that she can't be with you for that much longer." David corrected. Arnold's eyes widened and he finally managed to push Gerald off him. He was about to grab him again, but Arnold didn't charge towards David this time. "What are you talking about?" he asked with a frown. When David didn't answer, Arnold turned to look at Maria who looked away awkwardly. He then looked at Phoebe and Gerald, both looking equally guilty. "Am I the only one who doesn't know?" he asked and then looked at David again. "Why can't she be with me?"

David didn't respond so Maria nudged at him. "What? You want _me_ to tell him? Sure! Because it went so great when I told Helga." David hissed, but Maria just shot him a slanted look. "Forget it, Maria! I'm an actor, so I'd prefer if Arnold didn't decide to redecorate my face." He continued and Maria rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, David. Arnold's not gonna - - "

"Actually, it might be a good idea if David wasn't the one to tell him." Gerald interfered. Maria looked at him in shock and Gerald couldn't blame her; he was one of the few people who knew Arnold well enough to know that while he was a mild-tempered boy, once he was mad, he would be furious and right now his fist seemed rather itchy. He wasn't like that as a child, but he had grown up since then. "Arnold." Gerald said and stood in front of him. Arnold was looking at him intensely; the look in his eyes was almost burning. Gerald took a deep breath, sincerely hoping that Arnold's ability to look on the bright sight would come in handy. "Helga, she's… she, uh… Arnold, Helga doesn't live in Hillwood anymore."

Arnold blinked a couple of times in confusion, but then snickered. "I know that." he said in incredulity, but Gerald shook his head. "No, Arnold… Think for a second." He told him and Arnold frowned, but did as told. That Helga didn't live in Hillwood was all his mind registered though. "Helga lives in Los Angeles." Gerald said somberly before Arnold got the chance to question him again. Arnold narrowed his eyes. "Los Angeles?" he asked and Gerald nodded. "But… But that's…" he mumbled. "2778 miles away." Phoebe finished for him.

"_And_…" David interjected, earning their attention. "A scout has had his eyes on Helga for a while… If he decides to hire her, she'll be busier than ever." he continued, earning a glare from Gerald. A glare saying: _"We don't need your comments,"_ so David shut his mouth after that. When Gerald turned to look at Arnold again, he had walked towards the wall and turned his back to it. He then slid down until he landed unceremoniously on the asphalt. He didn't say anything; he was just staring into thin air with a somewhat impassive expression on his face.

David's hard expression softened slowly at the sight of Arnold's reaction. _Damn it…_ He thought and took a hesitant step towards him. Gerald quirked an eyebrow at him, but Maria pushed at David's back, encouraging him to approach Arnold. In silence, David sat down next to him. They kept quiet for a while before David cut through the silence. "I'm sorry." He said and looked at Arnold who didn't look back. He just kept staring at nothing in particular. "Look, I… I know how you feel… kind of." David continued and while Arnold still didn't look at him, his eyes did narrow curiously for a moment. "When Helga told me about that scout that had called her and told her he was very interested… at first, I was happy for her because… well, it's a huge opportunity for her; it's her dream… but then I realized what it meant and I… Well… it was partially the reason why I didn't fight her more when she suggested we should break up."

Arnold finally turned his head to look at David, a somber expression on his face. David looked back at him. "I was hoping that… once we were officially broken up, my feelings would change and then once she left with the scout, it wouldn't hurt as much… Tell you what; she's not a girl you forget." He continued, which Arnold frowned at. "I _know_." He snapped. "I know you do." David responded and turned to look at the street again. "Tell me, Arnold… do you know who much Helga loves you?"

"What? Of course I - - "

"No, seriously. Do you _know_ how much she loves you?" David interrupted and looked at Arnold again. The boys gazed at each other for a moment, none of them blinking. "I _do_ know… I know more than you think." Arnold insisted and turned his head away, leaving David to nod in understanding. "And it didn't freak you out?" he asked and Arnold chuckled. "As a kid, when she told me for the first time, I was creeped out." He responded honestly. "And now?" David asked and Arnold chewed on his lip in consideration. "I think of it as… deep passion. A sort of love that most people don't get granted with so no… No, I don't find it creepy. I'm honored, actually."

David smiled as he nodded. "I thought it was creepy." He admitted and Arnold's lip went up in a half smile. "And if all she did back then had been for and about _you_?" he asked. David went quiet for a bit, but then frowned deeply. "Still creepy." He insisted, which Arnold chuckled at and David joined him. "Which is probably why Helga loves you and not me." He continued to Arnold's surprise who looked at him expectantly. David looked at him again. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen once the play is over. I don't know if you and Helga can figure something out. I don't know if you're gonna fall apart… but I can promise you this." he said earnestly and lifted his hand to point at Arnold. "Helga will _always_ love you."

To say that Arnold was dumbstruck at David's words would have been an understatement. Even Gerald, Phoebe and Maria were staring at each other in incredulity. A boy who had loved Helga for so many years was telling another boy that she would always love him; it was a painful realization he had made. Arnold's expression slowly softened as he looked at David, the clear pain in his eyes so obvious that it was almost agonizing to look at. "Thank you, David. That…" he said and smiled a bit. "That means a lot coming from you."

"Yeah, well… you're welcome." David responded unsurely. He hadn't expected Arnold to thank him; frankly, he didn't think he deserved it. It was simply the truth after all. "We still have a problem though." Gerald said as he crossed his arms. "Helga is still unbelievably pissed at you." he pointed out, which David sighed at, but nodded. "Helga will calm down." Phoebe countered. "The biggest issue is Arnold's relationship with her. What's going to happen with you two?"

"It's not an issue." Arnold argued with a frown. "How is it not?" Maria asked miserably. "Arnold, Helga lives in Los Angeles, that's like almost three thousand miles away from Hillwood." She didn't like the thought of her favorite blonde couple breaking up. "We will figure something out." Arnold answered, which Gerald smiled at. "Arnold: the chronic optimist." He declared dramatically and Arnold smiled, but his expression remained grave. "I lost Helga once… I'm not ready to lose her again."

David looked at Arnold for a bit before he touched his shoulder. "Good to know that you're not gonna give up on you and Helga. It's a relief." He said and patted his shoulder. "I am officially passing Helga onto you." he said dramatically and gestured towards Arnold, who chuckled at his words. "Dude, Helga was never yours to give away!" Gerald pointed out with a smirk and David put both of his hands to his heart as if he had just been shot with an arrow. "Low blow!" he said and stood up. "I'm gonna get you for that!" he announced before running after Gerald, who started to run away. The girls and Arnold watched them as they laughed at the scene. To Arnold, it felt like there was still hope for him and Helga.

* * *

"Dear?"

Helga didn't answer; she figured it wouldn't be necessary since according to the tone in her mother's voice, she would walk into her room son anyway. As Helga had predicted, Miriam did indeed open the door and walked inside. "Oh, Helga. It's so dark in here." She said and Helga flinched when the light emitted in her room. "Miriam!" she groaned and pulled the covers over her face.

"What's wrong, honey?" Miriam asked and steadied the plate in her hands. "I brought you some pizza, in case you're hungry?" she asked hopefully and Helga felt her bed moving when her mom sat down. "You didn't make it yourself, right?" she asked suspiciously, which Miriam simply chuckled at. "I swear I haven't touched it. I didn't even add any salt." she promised and then Helga flipped the covers aside and sat up. "Thank you." she said and reached for the plate, bur Miriam moved it out of her reach. "On one condition: Tell me what's gotten my youngest daughter to cry for the past hour."

Helga frowned and eyed the pizza slice hungrily. "Deal." She stated once her stomach had rumbled and took the plate. She took an eager bite of it, realizing that she had in fact been hungry for a while. She wasn't even sure what time it was anymore. "So…?" Miriam proved, reminding Helga of her promise. She chewed slowly as she pondered how she should phrase her problem. "Mom, have you… ever dated someone who was going far away?" she asked softly, much to Miriam's surprise. "Why are you asking such a question? Are you dating - - "

"Just answer me, Miriam." Helga interrupted curtly. Miriam hummed thoughtfully, not taking Helga's rude tone to heart at all. "Actually, I have."

"Really?"

"Yes, my second boyfriend I believe. His name was Justin. His dad had to move around a lot due to his job, but I don't remember what his job was. Justin had to move around a lot with him because of it."

"What happened with you two?"

"What usually happens with long-distance relationships; we gave it a shot, but it didn't work." Miriam replied honestly, not noticing that Helga stopped chewing at her response. "As they say:_ out of sight, out of mind_. We eventually lost interest in each other. That's the natural cause of such a relationship. It's - - "

"I get it. I get it! My love is doomed and my love is dead!" Helga interrupted in a grunt. Miriam finally realized that the look on her daughter's face indicated that her answer hadn't exactly been what she had been hoping for. "But, Helga. I was only sixteen years old. My hormones were doing all my thinking for me. It's different with you and Arnold."

"It is not different!" Helga replied as she put her plate on the bed and stood up. "I live more than two thousand miles away from Arnold and to make matters worse: I'm an actress! I'm a busy woman! I won't have time for him, especially if he's not right next to me! We'll forget each other, just like you and Justin! To Arnold, I will just be somebody that he used to know and he will forever be the one that got away! I'll try to find someone like him, but he will always be the one that I want and I'm gonna love him for the rest of my life, while he marries one of those girls even though he belongs with me!"

Miriam blinked one, two, three times in shock at her daughter's rant. "I have never heard anyone refer to so many songs in such few sentences…" She muttered absentmindedly and Helga gestured violently. "Mom! You're not helping!" she shouted in frustration and Miriam put her hand up in mock defense. "Helga, I think you're perhaps being a little overdramatic… You love Arnold, yes?" she asked and Helga sighed, but nodded. "And he loves you?" Miriam asked again, which Helga blushed at. "Well… none of us have said the words, but… yes. Yes, I believe so."

"Well then, I'd say he is probably as scared as you are." Miriam said, which Helga quirked an eyebrow at curiously. "Yeah?" she inquired and sat back down. "Honey, talk with Arnold. Tell him about your insecurities. Tell him that you don't want to lose him. You have loved this boy since you were a child. Did that love change after being away from him for seven years?" Miriam asked and Helga's eyes widened. "Well… n-no, but - - "

"In some cases, absence makes the heart grow fonder." Miriam interrupted and Helga frowned in confusion. "Where did you hear that?" she asked and Miriam smiled at her. "You know I love romance novels." She pointed out and for the first time since she got home, Helga smiled a bit. "You were quoting something contradicting just before though?" she questioned and Miriam shrugged. "It depends on the people involved. What Justin and I had was a fleeting romance between a pair of teenagers. Your love for Arnold is much more powerful." She said and scooted closer to sit next to Helga up against the pillow.

"What if it isn't like that for Arnold…?" Helga asked in a quiet voice, wondering if she wanted to hear the answer. "Well, dear, perhaps it's not." Miriam replied honestly and Helga frowned at her. _This is where you're supposed to say something else, you moron…_ She thought sullenly, but then her mom continued. "But you did bully him as a child?" she asked and Helga blinked in surprise. "How did you…? What does that have to do with…? Ugh, yes…" she admitted and looked down at her hands on her lap. "And he has fallen in love with you despite that." Miriam declared, causing Helga to look at her again. "I'd say that when someone falls in love with someone despite past pain caused by that someone… it's a rather grand love."

Helga blinked. _Well, I'll be damned…_ she thought in incredulity. If someone had told her that Miriam would one day give her advice in love, even good advice, she would have laughed at him or her until her stomach hurt, but Helga felt much better after talking with her mom. Her insecurities weren't gone, neither was her fear, but she did feel more calm about her situation. With a small sigh, she let her head hit Miriam's shoulder and rested there for a bit.

"Thank you, mom… but I do have one question."

"Yes, honey?"

"… Are you drunk?"

"A little." Miriam answered honestly and Helga started laughing loudly, which Miriam slowly started doing as well. The laughter was interrupted by the sound of Helga's phone ringing and the smile disappeared from her face. She went to grab it from her nightstand and sighed at the name. "Arnold…" she muttered and looked questioningly at Miriam. "He's probably worried about you." she said, but Helga pressed the red button rather than the green one, thereby ending the call before it had begun. "Sweety…" Miriam reprimanded, but Helga started tapping on her phone again. Miriam looked at it and smiled when she saw that she was texting Arnold that she would come back to the party.

"You should probably wash your face before you do." Miriam said. "Huh?" Helga mumbled and looked up towards her mirror at the end of the room and growled at the sight of the black mascara running down her face. "This is why I hate make-up!" she declared, finished texting Arnold and then jumped out of her bed. "Want me to help you redo your make-up?" Miriam asked and stood up as well. "You know how?" Helga questioned. She had never seen her mom wear make-up her entire life so she felt skeptical. "Honey," Miriam said and grabbed her daughter's hand. "Who do you think did Olga's make-up before she could herself?"

* * *

Arnold's leg was bouncing in frustration, the sound of his shoe clinking on the asphalt echoing beneath him in an annoying beat. He had called Helga a couple of times after she had told him she was on her way back, but she hadn't returned yet. "Calm down, dude. You'll make a pothole in the sidewalk." Gerald said, but Arnold didn't stop. Gerald rolled his eyes and gestured to Phoebe in a surrendering way. "You try, babe. I give up." He told her and she took his place next to Arnold. "Helga will be back, Arnold. She said so, right? If she had changed her mind, she would have texted you or at least me." She told him. He continued to bounce his leg for a bit, but then finally stopped. Phoebe turned around to smirk at her pouting boyfriend. "It's only because you know Helga better than me…" he insisted childishly and she kissed his cheek as a way of soothing him.

In the distance, Arnold could see something white moving around and recognized Helga's dress. His face lit up and he sprinted towards her. "Helga!" he called and the others behind him turned to look towards her as well. David gulped nervously, about to walk away to avoid angering Helga further, but Maria grabbed his hand and frowned warningly at him. "You're not running away from this." she whispered and with a sigh, he stayed put.

Helga looked up from the ground when she heard Arnold calling her name. Seeing him running towards her like that with relief painted on his face hurt her a bit. It reminded her that she was the one who had randomly left him without any explanation. _Oh, God. What must he be thinking about me?_ She thought and opened her mouth to speak. "A-Arnold, I'm sorry I left like - - " she said, but lifted her arms automatically when he stumbled in her embrace. Her body moved on its own; her feet taking a few steps back in order to steady her, but her mind was blank. "A-Arnold…?"

"It's gonna be ok, Helga…" Arnold whispered as he put one of his hands on Helga's neck, soothing it gently near her hairline. She blinked in surprise, but then frowned. "Who told you?" she asked before her eyes locked on David who took a step back, ready to run if she decided to make him into her personal Play Doh Fun Factory. "Why you…!" Helga hissed and stepped passed Arnold, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her from walking any further. "Helga!" he called and pulled her around even though she was fighting against him. He grabbed her cheeks and kissed her roughly even though her hand started to bang at his chest in an attempt at getting out of his embrace.

After a minute, Helga finally relaxed in Arnold's hold and he moved his lips off hers. "Calm down and listen to me…" he whispered, placing his forehead against hers. She took a few heavy breaths as she tried to calm herself. "I'm listening." She stated. "Are you _calm_?" Arnold asked and she blinked. "I'm listening." She simply stated again, which he snickered at. "Helga, I… I'm not going to let you go." He whispered, but then she frowned and pulled back. "Excuse me?" she questioned and when he realized how that had sounded, he shook his head. "N-No! I didn't meant it like that! What I mean is… I don't want to give up… on us, I mean. I… Even when you go back to Los Angeles, I-I want to be with you somehow. Even if it's just phone calls every day."

"Los Angeles?" Helga questioned and turned to look at David. "I… figured you should tell him the details." He replied to her unsaid question. She narrowed her eyes at him. _Oh, sure. Now you think I should be the one to tell him…_ She thought and looked at Arnold again who was looking confusedly at her. "Arnold… a scout has had his eyes on me for a while and… depending on the success of _Roadside girl_ he is going to hire me." She told him severely, but he just smiled. "That's great, Helga! Why does that make you…?" he questioned and she took another deep breath. "He works for Broadway…"

Arnold's eyes widened. "You're going to be on Broadway?" he asked and Helga shrugged. "Maybe. It's a possibility… If I am going to Broadway… I'll be doing nothing but eating, sleeping and practicing! Arnold, even phone calls won't be a possibility. New York is closer to Hillwood, but Broadway is going to be _so_ time consuming. I can't even bring myself to happy about it anymore!" she bellowed unhappily, but Arnold shook his head. "Don't you dare not be happy!" he threatened and wrapped his arms around her. "This is amazing, Helga… Going on Broadway, so many people dream about that! How can you not be happy?"

"Because the timing _sucks_!" Helga replied in a muffled voice because she had just buried her face in the crook of Arnold's neck. "I don't want to leave you, but saying no to such an opportunity would be beyond mind-numbingly stupid!"

"You're _not_ turning it down. We can do this, Helga."

"Why must you always be so damn optimistic?" Helga asked and pushed Arnold away in frustration. "It's not realistic, Arnold! What chances do we have?"

"I don't care if the whole goddamn world turned against us!" Arnold roared, shocking Helga due to his small curse. "I want you, you want me, that's all I know and all I_ need_ to know. Helga…" he continued and took her hand in his and cupped it tightly. "I fell in love with you seven years ago. I made the mistake of letting you go, but I'm not going to do that this time. I am still in love with you, Helga… after _seven_ years of not being in contact with you, with all odds against those feelings; _I'm still in love_… You really think I'm gonna stop now?"

The blush on Helga's face could have made a tomato jealous. The little girl inside her that had been in love with this boy her whole life was squealing in happiness, but that annoying, skeptical voice was still there albeit smaller now than before. "Aww…" Helga heard Maria coo behind her and she turned to smirk at her. Maria held her mouth instantly, but the grin on her face went up to her eyes. Helga rolled her eyes with a smile on her own face and turned to look at Arnold again. "To translate what Maria just said… _corny_." She said in a singsong voice and Arnold frowned. "Helga." He chastised, but the smirk on her face stayed on. "You really… believe that? You think this can work?" she asked as the smirk slowly, but surely faded.

Arnold smiled somberly and took Helga's other hand in his. "I do." He replied and she blushed once more. "H-How come I feel like we're exchanging vows?" she questioned jokingly and started laughing awkwardly. Arnold chuckled embarrassedly as well, as a small voice in the back of his head was wondering if they would someday. "You know…" Helga said quietly and leaned closer to Arnold, resting her forehead against his. "Miriam said that sometimes… absence makes the heart grow fonder."

The grin on Arnold's face almost it seem like he would crack in two soon. "I like that…" he whispered and Helga rolled her eyes. "No surprise there. It's corny as hell and so are - - " she retorted, but he stubbornly silenced her with a kiss, which she whimpered at in surprise. "Oh, the gang's together!" Maria quoted loudly and started cheering, causing the others to start clapping jokingly. Helga turned to look at them, rolling her eyes while Arnold himself just laughed.

The laughter died down when Helga's mobile started ringing. She looked down at the small purse hanging near her waist and shoved her hand into it. "Who the hell calls someone past midnight?" she wondered aloud and looked at the display. "Apparently, the director does…" she muttered and looked at Arnold in fear. "Well, answer!" David insisted and approached them. Helga shot him a bit of a dirty look – she hadn't quite forgiven him yet for basically calling her a lunatic earlier – and put her phone to hear ear. "Sir?"

"Oh, you answered surprisingly quickly. You aren't too drunk to listen and remember what I'm about to say, are you?" the director asked nonchalantly on the other line. "Uh… n-no, sir, I'm in fact quite sober." She replied and furrowed her eyebrows. "Very well. I just wished to inform you while I remember it myself that a man by the name of Tate Haddock has contacted me through e-mail this evening. Is it a name you're familiar with?" he asked and Helga felt her blood freeze. Arnold looked worriedly at David who mirrored his expression and then waved his hand in front of Helga's face. She shook her head, frowned at David and then coughed. "Y-Yes, sir, I… I know Tate Haddock." She answered and looked knowingly at David whose eyes widened a bit. "What?" Arnold asked in a whisper. "That's the scout." David replied and Arnold gulped nervously.

"What did he say?" Helga asked and took a deep breath in a feeble attempt at preparing herself for whatever the director would answer. It was a rather contradicting feeling; hoping for one thing and yet praying for the other as well. Her heart was beating a hundred miles a minute and her chest was starting to hurt. She hadn't even noticed that her other hand was squeezing Arnold's tightly to the point where his fingers were turning white due to the lack of blood flow.

"He simply wished to inform me that he would be attending Hillwood Theatre Monday morning for our practice." The director replied and Helga frowned in confusion. "It turns out that he wants to make his decision as soon as possible so you will be receiving an answer whether he will scout you or not after practice. Do you understand?" he asked and Helga nodded. "He can't see you." David reminded her. "Y-Yes, I understand." She said though the expression she showed David was anything but thankful. "Very well. Give my best to the others and enjoy the party." The director said and Helga sighed in something akin to relief. "Oh, and I wish you good luck, Helga Pataki."

"Thank you, sir…" Helga replied even though he had already hung up. The grip on her phone was tight, but her arm fell down to her thigh and it hang there lazily for a bit before anyone spoke up. "What was that about?" Phoebe asked gently and put her hand on Helga's shoulder. "Uh, that was the director. He… uh, the scout is going to join us for our practice on Monday. He'll… He'll give me an answer by then." She replied and Maria gasped. "That's so soon!" she bellowed. "I thought he wasn't going to decide until after the premiere?"

"The premiere is in two weeks." David pointed out, but Maria just shook her head unhappily. "Still! On such short notice…" she mumbled and walked around Helga to face her. "Are you gonna be ok?" she asked gently, but Helga didn't answer at first. She looked down at her phone and then at Arnold. "I… I don't know how to feel." She muttered honestly. "I do." Arnold replied and Helga held her breath. "Feel happy and motivated. Tomorrow, you're going to take advantage of our day off and go to Hillwood Theatre to practice on your own."

Helga hadn't expected that answer from Arnold, but it made her smile. She nodded seriously and gripped her phone tighter. "Yes." She agreed and took another deep breath. "Yeah! Go for it, Helga!" Maria cheered and bounced happily. "I'll be rooting for you!" Phoebe agreed and hugged Helga from behind. "You'll be fine! We've heard you sing; he's an idiot if he doesn't hire you." Gerald chimed in and patted Helga's shoulder. "Just make sure not to strain your voice too much." David suggested and while Helga did frown at him as she had done since she had come back, she also nodded at his advice. _'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', huh…? I hope it's true._ She thought as she looked at Arnold who was wearing a goofy grin on his face. _I prefer that to 'out of sight, out of mind'…_

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Bam, bam, baaaaam xD Anyone surprised at the "big issue"? A few people admitted in their reviews that they weren't sure if they had figured it out or not, but others knew it already :P On another note, I was honestly rather surprised how furious some people were with David though I guess I don't blame you xD Helga's also still mad as you can read.**

**Quiz time: Miriam says that Helga makes a lot of song-references in her short, panicky monologue in the middle of the chapter: How many are there? Can you count and name them all? Virtual cookie for those who can! xD**

**Oh, and oh my god, at some point while I was writing this chapter, I realized… it's almost over O.o Like… maybe two-three chapters left? I'm not sure, but it's not gonna be a lot more… Well. just figured I should "announce" it… xD**


	19. Forgive my selfishness

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After Helga had left Circle Theatre, Arnold went back to confront David. It was Gerald though he winded up telling Arnold that Helga lives in Los Angeles now, but David was the one to tell Arnold that a scout had been seeking out Helga lately.**_

_**At home, Miriam confronted Helga herself after having heard her cry for about an hour in her room. Miriam's former teenage romance taught Helga a lesson she didn't want to learn, but Miriam insisted that it was different from her and Arnold and so Helga went back to Circle Theatre.**_

_**Back with the others, Arnold told Helga that he had been in love with her for seven years and he wasn't ready to give up simply because of the long distance. Helga then got a call from the director who told her that the scout, Tate Haddock, had changed his mind: he would never make his decision after the premiere of Roadside Girl, but rather after the next practice.**_

**Author's 1st note: Well, I honestly thought this chapter would involve the scout a bit more, but I somehow managed to write a whole "leading-up" to the scout rather than what I have planned for Tate Haddock to do while he is with them during practice xD You'll get to read that next time!**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 19: "Forgive my selfishness"

To say that Arnold was nervous Monday morning would be an understatement. He was basically running all the way to Hillwood Theatre and ended up being there thirty minutes earlier than needed. He hunched over and panted loudly, urging the ringing in his ears to disappear. Once his breath calmed down, he noticed a voice ricocheting from inside the auditorium. "_You made a mistake on the day that you met me and lost your way._" The voice sang and Arnold recognized it instantly. "_You saw all the signs, but you let it go. You closed your eyes. I should've told you to leave 'cause I knew all the time you couldn't handle me, but you're hard to resist when you're on your knees, begging me._"

Arnold smiled. _I wonder if she even slept here…?_ He wondered and pondered whether he should walk inside or not. He didn't want to disturb her after all. He stayed outside for a bit, listening to Helga singing, until he couldn't resist the temptation anymore and went inside quietly. Helga didn't notice him at all as she kept singing and dancing to the melancholic melody. "_I wasn't always this way; I used to be the one with the halo, but that disappeared when I had my first taste and fell from grace. It left me in this place. Now I'm starting to think, maybe you like it?_"

Arnold crouched through the seats and eventually hid behind the front row. He did wonder if she would get furious once she noticed him, but he figured that as long as he didn't interrupt her practicing then noticing him later wouldn't be a problem so Arnold stayed between the two front rows and listened to Helga. _She definitely belongs on the stage…_ he thought as his smile fell. He had put on a brave face Saturday night, but in reality, he was beyond terrified that a long-distance relationship couldn't work.

Arnold wasn't questioning his own nor Helga's feelings. They had lived without the other for seven years straight without any contact at all, but… now that he knew he was in love with her and knew she was in love with him too, could he really live without her? Could they both really continue to love someone if they couldn't see, hear or touch each other? Helga might be a Broadway actress soon and Arnold was planning to become a therapist, would they even have time for phone calls? When one of them would have time, then the other might not and then that vicious circle would continue until they would give up. The scenario hurt to even think about and Arnold sighed. _Where did my idealism go?_

"Arnold!" Helga shrieked and tripped over her own foot. Arnold's head shot right up and he realized that sometime during his reverie, he had moved to sit on one of the seats and made himself visible to Helga. "Ow…" she groaned and rubbed her ankle. "Oh, God! Helga, are you ok?" Arnold asked in panic, imagining Helga on crutches and the play getting cancelled. He ran up on the stage and sat down near her foot. "Yeah, I think - - whoa!" she exclaimed when he grabbed her bare ankle. She hadn't been wearing any shoes since this particular song she had been practicing was supposed to take place in Adrasteia's dream and she would be wearing a nightgown and naturally no shoes for that scene.

"It doesn't seem like it's broken or even sprained…" Arnold observed as he twisted Helga's ankle around in order to look at it from all angles. "I already said it's fine! M-More importantly; look at our position." Helga barked embarrassedly and Arnold did indeed look up at her. When he had taken her ankle in his hands before, he had pulled on her leg and thereby forced her into a laid-back position where her elbows became the only thing holding her up. The thigh on her other leg was nestled on top of his leg, closely to his groin.

"Ah… s-sorry." Arnold mumbled absentmindedly and put Helga's ankle down next to his hip. He had been about to place it in front of him, but had then realized that would mean putting it right in front of his pelvis, which would probably turn into his own inconvenience later. "Airhead." Helga said snidely and used her leg to pull him closer until their hips touched. He hissed sharply at the feeling, but she just grinned innocently at him, obviously not trying to start something.

At that moment, Arnold realized that this would be impossible to do soon; to just sit in front of each other, talking and teasing. This happiness would become a memory once Helga was gone. He wouldn't be able to see her face, her smile or even her scowl. Hearing her voice would become a rare treat and the feel of her skin would be an illusion his mind would bestow upon him in his most desperate dreams.

Arnold grabbed Helga's hands and pulled her roughly towards him, clashing his lips against hers. It had all happened so quickly that Helga gasped once her mouth was against his. "A-Arnold, what brought this on?" she asked in surprise once she had managed to remove herself from him, but rather than answering, he just started to desperately kiss her neck instead. The surprising – almost choked – moan she made sounded like heaven on earth to him. He kept kissing and licking her neck and collarbone in order to hear more of that addictive sound.

Arnold wanted – no, _needed_ – to feel more of Helga; he wanted her body pressed against his until her shape was imprinted on his skin. When his hand sneaked up under her tank top though, she froze. "A-Arnold!" she choked, but also moaned at his gentle touch. "We're on the middle of the stage a-and practice starts soon." She whispered huskily. She felt a slight hesitation in his hands and she was sure he would listen to logic and eventually let go. Unexpectedly, Arnold, rather than letting go, pushed Helga back down on the floor, grabbed her hands and tangled his fingers with hers, starting to kiss her vigorously.

Arnold could feel Helga feebly trying to argue against him and even tried to push him away with her hips. "Wait…" she begged weakly, feeling her resolve crumble with each of his touches. "Please…" he whispered once he had put his mouth near her ear. Helga trembled beneath him, his hot breath sending series of shivers down her spine. He had her full attention despite her body's eager responses to everything he was doing. "Touch me." He continued huskily, need and desperation leaking from his voice. She had never heard him request anything with such a tone before and it created goose bumps all over her skin to know that she was the only one that could give him what he needed.

Helga decided to question Arnold's spur of passion later; right now, she could feel that his arousal was getting contagious and her hands jumped up to his cheeks. Her lips met his just as ferociously as his had kissed hers before. He groaned as her hands started roaming under his t-shirt and he used his hands on her lower back to pull her up and grind himself against her. She breathed shakily, warmth starting to spread all over her body. Hs body started to feel scolding hot against her fingers, but she was willing to even get burnt by him as long as it meant she could continue to touch him.

Helga grabbed the hem of Arnold's t-shirt in order to pull it off, but kept a strong hold around his hips with her legs to make sure he didn't move even a mere inch away from her. He had no intention of doing that though as he arched his back and pulled his t-shirt over his head, showing off his very toned torso. Helga was practically drooling at the sight; he had gone more toned since she last saw him? It was possible; Ludmilla had been working them harder lately.

Arnold didn't notice Helga's lusty gaze at all though; he was far too engrossed in his own arousal and her hands on him felt cool and soothing to his beating heart, but it also left him hungry for more. As soon as his t-shirt was discarded, he pulled Helga up to remove her top as well. She obediently lifted her arms when his impatient hands started pulling her top upwards. He threw it somewhere near his own shirt, wasted no time before his arms wrapped around her back and held her to him so tightly that she felt like she was wearing a corset. With one arm snaked around Helga's waist and his other hand up on her shoulder, he started to kiss, nibble and lick on the sensitive skin on the nape of her neck, unconsciously deciding to mark her. That was it; he wanted to mark her as his own for the whole world to see – a possessive thought that had never crossed his mind with any other girl.

Arnold was beyond tempted to remove the last layer between him and Helga; his hand even went under what he believed was the clasp of her bra though he wasn't trying to take it off… _really_. "The clasp is in the front." Helga whispered and gave the shell of his ear a firm lick before biting the lobe. That was all the encouragement he needed and he moved his hands between their chests. He fumbled with the clasp for a bit, as he kissed her; his hands were awkward due to his inexperience with this type of bra, but it was also as much due to the fact his excitement simply make him clumsy.

Once it was opened, Arnold let it hang lazily over her shoulders rather than removing it completely and put his hands behind her back to push her closer to him again. The feeling of her naked flesh against his own was nothing less than heaven. To feel her so closely, to feel her heart beating in synch with his, to prove that she was indeed right here was a bittersweet feeling. It wouldn't last forever. One day, someday soon, he wouldn't be able to hold her like this anymore.

Helga was at first mildly confused by Arnold's sudden docility as he just kept holding her. It wasn't until she felt something liquid and warm land on her shoulder and then roll down her back, she realized where the source of his spur of passion had come from. Her heart clenched in agony and her arms went around and hugged him with a different kind of desperation than the one before. "Arnold…" she whispered in a sob and his breath hitched in his throat when he heard the guilt-plagued sorrow in her voice. He wanted to apologize for not being able to hide his true feelings very well; he didn't want her to feel guilty and he really was happy that she was getting so close to his dream, but, God, the thought of losing her again – even if it was only her physical presence – pained him more than he could have imagined.

The sound of a door opening in the distance caused the blondes to pull away from each other, freezing in panic. Helga was the first one to regain consciousness and she quickly grabbed Arnold's t-shirt and shoved it over his head since he didn't seem capable of doing it himself. At the feeling of the soft fabric against his nose, he woke up from his trance though and quickly closed Helga's bra from the front before grabbing her top and pulling it over her. They both shoved their arms into the sleeves of their garments as Arnold watched Helga absentmindedly. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, a guilty look in his eyes resembled the one in a puppy's eyes when it had been caught doing something wrong. She lifted her head to look at him, her lips becoming two thin lines before she grabbed Arnold's cheek and kissed him. She hoped this action could tell him more than her words could right then, especially since they didn't have time to talk about this right now.

"Uh, did we interrupt something?" Damon asked with a lopsided grin when he saw Helga sitting almost on top of Arnold on the stage. "Huh?" she mumbled as if she hadn't noticed them. "Oh, no. The scene's done." She replied and removed her legs from Arnold's to stand up. "The scene? Oh, you were practicing Adrasteia and Aiden's love scene?" Maria asked with her hands folded. "Yeah, we haven't practiced that scene in some time so we figured why not? We were both alone here anyway." Helga explained and offered Arnold her hand. He smiled at her, partially impressed with her quick thinking, but not surprised. He took her hand and stood up with her help.

"How long have you two been here?" Damon asked, not truly buying their excuse, but deciding to let them believe he did. "I've only been here for maybe ten minutes. Helga was here before me." Arnold replied and readjusted his t-shirt. "And I've been here since 6am." She continued, which caused them all to gawk at her. "Girl, you _did_ get your beauty-sleep, right?" Damon asked in slight horror and Helga chuckled. "I swear I got seven hours of beauty sleep last night." She promised and he nodded approvingly. "Good, good. You'll need to look good too for the scout." Damon pointed out and Helga groaned. "Right… Tate Haddock." She muttered, having forgotten about him for the last couple of minutes.

"I've heard he's supposed to be pretty strict." Maria mumbled thoughtfully and Damon nodded. "Yeah, I've heard that too; a real hardass. One of those types of people where you wonder what snuck up in his crack and died." Damon agreed thoughtfully, but immediately shut his mouth when he saw Helga's hateful glare towards them. "Thanks, you two." She sneered and Maria apologized in a small voice while Damon coughed uncomfortable. Arnold put his arm over Helga and tried soothing her. "It'll be ok, Helga. Just do what you always do and he'll love you." he said and she smiled a bit. All things considered, Arnold was truly rooting for her and it meant the world to her.

The sound of more people walking into the auditorium caught their ears. They looked towards the door where most of the cast was starting to walk in as they chatted, David and the director in front of them. When David and Helga's eyes met, her expression grew hard before she walked away and went towards the backstage. Arnold sighed before David approached them. "I guess I don't need to ask if Helga still hates me…" he muttered before walking up on the stage. "Can you blame her?" Damon asked with a sneer, but Arnold frowned at him. "That's unnecessary, Damon."

"Oh, I don't think so. I heard the whole thing from Maria. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Damon asked angrily, crossing his arms. "You told him?" David asked in surprise and Maria shrunk a little in embarrassment. "Don't put this on Maria. She did her best not to make you sound like the villain, but despite her doing a good job, I still consider you the bad guy here." Damon explained before Maria could. "I _know_ I'm the bad guy here. The messenger always gets blamed after all." David retorted. "Oh, you cowardly - - " Damon started, but Arnold stepped in-between them. "Stop it! First of all, we should _not_ fight here, at least not today." He said sternly. The boys looked at each other for a bit, but then they both took a step back. "Second. David, you should know that Helga is not mad at you for the reason you think."

"Huh? Not for the reason… then why?" David asked in confusion. "Well, last night she told me… that, uh, it's more about…" Arnold started unsurely, gave a cautious look in Damon and Maria's direction and then leaned towards David's ear. "It's more the _unhealthy obsession_ part." He whispered and leaned back to observe his reaction. David blinked a couple of times and then groaned. "I only said that because I was angry! It was in the heat of the moment." He insisted, but Arnold just shrugged. "Don't tell _me_. Tell _her_." he said and tilted his head towards the backstage for impact. David sighed. "Fine. I'll apologize once we've got time, but that's not now. I just saw Tate Haddock outside. He'll be in here in a second and he's gonna want to talk to Helga."

"I'll go get her." Maria stated before she jogged away from the boys. She walked down the small steps from the stage and then knocked on the door. She didn't wait for an answer though; frankly, she had only nodded to tell Helga she was on her way in. Once inside, Helga turned to smile at her. "Did David send you?" she asked and Maria nodded. "In a way… Tate Haddock is outside." she answered and Helga's eyes widened. "_Now_?!" she hissed with a bit of panic on her face and then turned to look at herself in the mirror, her hand going up to her neck. "No, he's outside of the theatre, but David saw him and… What's wrong with your neck?"

"Huh? Oh, uh… n-nothing." Helga insisted, but her hand didn't leave her neck as she went towards her bag on the other side of the room. Maria cocked her head to the side and followed Helga soundlessly. Once Helga had grabbed a high-collared sweatshirt with her free hand from inside her bag, she turned around only to stumble back when she saw Maria right in front of her. "What are you hiding?" Maria asked with playfully narrowed eyes towards her hand. "Um… it's just a…" she muttered, but then sighed and removed her hand. "A hickey."

"Oh, my God! That is _so_ corny! Arnold's quite possessive, huh?" Maria asked with a grin plastered on her face as she studied the very red mark on Helga's neck. "How do you get possessive from this?" Helga asked in confusion. "Oh, I read in an article once that people who leave hickeys on their partner are usually either possessive or insecure. I'm hoping Arnold's the first." Maria replied. Helga blinked a couple of times and then turned to look at her own blushing face in the mirror. _Possessive… huh?_ She thought and couldn't help but smile at it. She quickly put her sweatshirt over her and zipped it all the way up to her neck. "Is it hidden?"

"Yup. Can't see your little love bite anymore." Maria answered, the grin still almost wider than her cheeks. "You're gonna tease me about this for a while, aren't you?" Helga asked and Maria wrapped her arm over her shoulders, despite Helga being taller than her. "You know me too well." she responded before they walked out of the room, both laughing. Helga looked around for a bit and saw Arnold standing next to David and Damon with a couple of girls around them as well. Helga frowned, not at the girls, but at David. She and Maria approached them and David was quick to notice them. "Helga, can I talk - - "

"Excuse us for a moment." Helga said, wrapped her arm around Arnold's and pulled him away before David could finish his sentence. He sighed behind them as they walked away, but Helga had other things on her mind. "Helga, you really should listen to David." Arnold said in a quiet voice, but she ignored him. Once they were a little further away from the rest, standing near the front rows, she turned to look at him. "Did you do it on purpose?" she asked with a smirk and he looked at her in confusion. "Did what?" he asked, wondering if she was thinking he was taking David's side or something.

Helga wasn't thinking about David though as she pulled the collar of her sweatshirt down enough to flash the red mark on her neck. "_This_." she explained as Arnold gawked at her neck. "Oh… uh… s-sorry…" he muttered, but she frowned at the tone in his voice. "You don't sound sorry?" she observed and pulled the collar back up. "Because… that would be hypocritical." He replied and she cocked an eyebrow. "Why?" she asked. "Because I… made it on purpose." Arnold answered, shut his eyes tight and put his arms up, awaiting the inevitable. "Arnold!" Helga scolded on shock and punched his arm though not roughly. "Are you mad?" he asked and put his defensive arms back down. "Because then I really _am_ sorry."

"No, I'm not _mad_. I just… didn't think you were possessive." Helga explained, a mocking grin growing on her face. Rather than growing shy, which Helga had expected him to, Arnold blinked a couple of times and scratched his head thoughtfully. "I never have been before, but… something inside me just wanted to… mark you." he admitted, a blush forming on his cheeks. A flush also spread on hers and her hand went up to her neck, caressing the mark under her sweatshirt. He looked at her as she started to unzip the sweatshirt. "What are you doing?"

"Showing everyone I belong to you." Helga replied before wrapping the sweatshirt around her hips and tying the sleeves into a knot. "H-Helga, you really don't have to…" Arnold muttered as he looked at the proof of their passionate moment. "But I want to." She insisted and kissed his cheek. He couldn't help the boyish grin that spread on his face. _When did I get like this?_ He wondered as she took his hand and let him back up on the stage. Maybe he had always been like that.

Maria, David, Damon and some of the other dancers were still casually chatting on the stage when Arnold and Helga came back. "Hey, Helga. Nervous yet?" one of the girls asked teasingly, a girl who Arnold remembered Helga had told him had slept with the director to get a role in the play. Since then, he had noticed that this girl seemed awfully jealous of Helga. "Don't you worry about me, Camille. I'll be fine." Helga answered with a smile only Arnold noticed was artificial. Camille smiled as well, though a small twitch of anger showed on her face for a second.

"What happened to your neck?" Damon asked and narrowed his eyes near Helga's neck. She turned to look at him and smirked. "What do you think?" she asked and shrugged with one of her shoulders for good measure. She could imagine the blush on Arnold's face despite not looking at him. "You dog!" Damon said when he realized and nudged a fist against Arnold's upper arm. Arnold smiled embarrassedly at him while Maria started nudging Helga's arm as well. "So you decided to embrace the perks of having a possessive boyfriend?" she whispered and Helga rolled her eyes. "Arnold's not possessive, Maria. He just…" she whispered, but then went quiet. Maria looked like she was about to ask what she meant, but then a couple of slow, but loud claps caught their ears.

When they all turned to look towards the source of the clapping, they could see the director standing next to none other than Tate Haddock. Helga immediately stiffened and Arnold's hand quickly went to her back. He started rubbing it in a soothing manner and he felt her spine go less tense within seconds. "Ladies and gentlemen. I represent to you; Tate Haddock." The director spoke and Tate gave a simple nod in Helga's direction, bluntly showing his disinterest in the others. Helga swallowed the growing lump in her throat and nodded back.

"Please, do not consider my presence a hindrance to today's practice. I simply wish to observe Helga Pataki, so the rest of you can relax." Tate said with a stiff and intimidating smile on his face. Camilla snorted lowly and leaned towards one of the other girls. "He makes it sound like Helga is the only one worth watching around here." She whispered and the girls simply nodded without responding. Helga ignored the comment; she had figured that several people in the cast would feel envy towards her, especially this talentless Camille girl. Why talentless? Why else would she have had to sleep with the director, Helga figured. She was a good dancer, albeit more vulgar than sexy at times, which was perfect for this particular play, but not for a lot of others. Helga didn't understand why Camille had felt the need to sell herself to begin with.

Helga walked towards the edge of the stage, sat down and jumped off it carefully. Tate offered her his hand and she took it firmly. "Good morning, Mr. Haddock." She greeted politely as she shook his hand. "Good morning, Miss Pataki. How are you doing?" he asked formally and pulled his hand away from her. "Quite well, thank you. How about you?" she asked with a slightly quirky smile. For a moment, Arnold feared that a man like Tate Haddock wouldn't appreciate Helga's way of asking, but the man smiled and answered her politely.

The director had been quiet so far, but now spoke up. "Well, let's begin everyone. Helga, please get back on the stage so we can warm up." He said and Helga was about to obey him until Tate interfered. "Oh, in fact, Mr. Hirsch. May I borrow Miss Pataki for a couple of minutes first?" Tate asked and the director looked baffled for a moment, something very unlike him. "Oh, well. Helga is our protagonist, she'll need to warm up." He tried to insist. "Oh, that's ok, sir. I've been here for more than an hour already. I'm warmed up." Helga stated and the director nodded. "Very well." he said and turned towards the others. "We shall start without Helga then."

"Passionate." Tate stated as he and Helga moved towards the door. "I like that." he added and Helga shot Arnold one last worried glance before she disappeared with him. Arnold exhaled a sigh he didn't realize he had been holding. Damon started to pat his back. "She's gonna be fine." He told Arnold and he nodded. "I know, I know." He insisted. "Then why so nervous?" Damon asked and Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. "Mixed feelings?" Damon tried as the others started to get on their places. "I don't want to seem mean or selfish, but…" Arnold muttered shamefully, but Damon shook his head. "No, I totally get it. If Helga was my girl, half of me would wish that she would stay here too." He said. Arnold quirked an eyebrow at him and Damon put his hands up in mock defense. "I'm still as bent as a butcher's hook, I'm just speaking hypothetically."

"Bent as a butcher's hook?" Arnold repeated in confusion. "Yeah, you know… the opposite of: I'm as straight as a pencil?" Damon asked and Arnold finally understood. "Oh… what an awkward way to tell people you're gay." He murmured thoughtfully and started to walk towards his spot. "Oh, my God! Helga said almost the same thing when I first met her." he said in surprised excitement. "Yeah?" Arnold inquired with a smile and stopped walking. "Yes, though she said something like: that's a hell of a complicated way of saying it." Damon answered and laughed with the shorter blonde boy.

While Ludmilla started the usual exercises and while Arnold did do them all dutifully, his mind was somewhere else entirely. _Do your best, Helga. Amaze him with… just being you._ He thought and ignored the small voice that he had firmly locked inside the back of his mind. The small voice kept insisting that he didn't want Helga to succeed. He wanted her never to go to Broadway, never to be so far away from him. He wanted her to forget Los Angeles, forget her new dream. He couldn't bring himself to even admit those feelings to himself, couldn't get himself to realize how egoistic he truly was. _Forgive my selfishness…_

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**Author's 2nd note: Argh, towards the end of this chapter I got frustrated because I wanted to end it at a specific point, but then realized I hadn't made enough words so I was all… now what? xD I forced some more out of me than I would usually need to, but I made my quota of 5.000 words xD**

**Oh, and this may interest some of you: I have now **_**officially**_** chosen which story I will be writing next amongst the many, **_**many**_** ideas I have for HA! fanfiction xD I won't be saying much about it right now because I really want to shock people with this plot, but I can say this much: While romance will be involved, then unlike my former stories, it will not be the main focus, perhaps not even the second focus xD It'll be there, I swear, but it has a different focus than what is usual for my stories :3**

**Song:**

**Halestorm – "I'm not an angel"**


	20. Look on the bright side

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Monday morning Arnold arrived earlier than usual at Hillwood Theatre and saw that Helga was already there as well. After the sudden realization that she would soon be gone, Arnold started kissing her desperately, only to be stopped by the other actors coming in.**_

_**Helga ran off when she saw David and Arnold told him that she wasn't angry with him for the reason he thought; she was angry because he had in essence called her a lunatic. Before David could apologize, Helga ran off with Arnold to ask him about the little hickey he had placed on her.**_

_**Not soon after, the scout, Tate Haddock, came into the room and the scouting, to Arnold's mixed pleasure, had begun.**_

**Author's 1st note: I don't know what to say! Enjoy Cx**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

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Chapter 20: "Look on the bright side"

_A total hardass sounds about right…_ Helga thought as she and Tate started to walk back inside the auditorium. Tate hadn't done much else than interrogate her since they had gotten alone; asked her about her past drama lessons, other plays she had been in and so on. Helga never thought she would have felt this exhausted _before_ practice and just from talking. Tate's gaze was stern and formal and she felt so small in front of him; a feeling she wasn't used to nor cared for. She almost felt relieved to get back inside. The director noticed them immediately. "Helga, we'll be doing the love-scene now. Please get on your place." He said and she nodded at him. "Excuse me." She said to Tate Haddock, who nodded at her. She groaned on the inside, she really didn't like this feeling that she was sucking up to the man, but she kept the smile painted on as she ran towards the stage.

Arnold turned his head and smiled at Helga once she was close enough. "How did it go?" he asked as they walked towards their places at the back of the stage. "Hardass is right!" she hissed in a low voice, her eyes shooting a quick glance in Tate's direction to make sure he wasn't listening. "The way he's looking at me; it's like he's looking right into my _soul_ and not in the good _you_-kind-of-way." She explained and crossed her arms, barely noticing the blush she had caused to appear on Arnold's cheeks. "Well… d-do you know if he liked you?"

"I don't have a fucking clue honestly. The man is a male Mona Lisa; his half-assed smile reveals nothing inside his head." Helga replied, causing Arnold to snicker for a bit before the director spoke up again. "You two ready?" he asked and the blondes nodded. Helga gave Arnold a quick kiss on his cheek and then walked a few steps away from him. Tate seemed to notice that and scribbled something down in his black notebook. _Uh-oh. Is that a bad kind of scribbling?_ Helga wondered, but decided to ignore it for the time being.

The lights dimmed and turned into a soft orange glow as Adrasteia took a couple of determined, but also shaky steps. She was looking around, both making sure no one was watching her and also looking for the person who had send her a note earlier that evening. She could hear steps behind her and froze. A pair of warm hands touched her arms and she exhaled shakily. She didn't need to see nor hear his voice to know who it was. "Why did you ask me to come here?"

"I needed to see you again." Aiden answered behind Adrasteia, his hands ghosting delicately over her skin. With a shaky breath, she turned on her heel and put her fingers against his chest. "You must have a sick wish to die if you're so desperate to see me for even a moment." She told him as she pushed him backwards. He didn't fight her before he felt his back touch the wall behind him and he grabbed her hand before she could move it from his chest. They held each other's stare for a moment until Aiden leaned towards Adrasteia to kiss her.

Once Aiden again leaned towards Adrasteia, she stepped around herself in order to get out of his hold, but he just followed her and she ended up as the one pinned against the wall. "Please…" Aiden whispered and leaned as close to Adrasteia as physically possible without actually touching her. "Please let me have you…" Aiden whispered and moved closer to Adrasteia's lips. "Taking me is signing your own death penalty." Adrasteia told him as he put his hands on her cheeks. "Then let the Devil take me." He said before clashing his lips against hers. Adrasteia accepted and even moaned into the kiss and finally give herself to Aiden. Her hands went into his hair, her hips swaying against him as his hand caressed her bare thigh. He then turned them around with his hand still on her thigh and started to lower her down. Elegantly, almost inhumanly gracefully, they landed on the floor and the newly placed curtain fell.

The rest of the cast, along with the director and Tate Haddock, clapped before Helga pulled the curtain up to reveal herself and Arnold again. "Is practicing with the curtain really necessary?" she asked jokingly as the curtain fell over her head like a veil. "You look good in red though." Arnold said teasingly and Helga repeatedly clicked her tongue at him before giving him a short-termed kiss. "That was excellent as usual, you two." The director said and was about to say something more before Tate Haddock coughed. "Excuse me, if I may?" he asked and stood up from his seat, barely waiting for the director's reply. "Go ahead." The director said, Helga noticing he looked slightly annoyed with Tate at the moment. "Thank you." Tate said, either ignoring or not noticing the director's stern expression. "I do not wish to pry in your personal life, Miss Pataki, but I wish to know if the rumors that you and Mr. Shortman are dating is true?" he asked and Arnold looked at Helga in surprise. "Well, yes. As of Saturday evening." She replied simply, shrugging in Arnold's direction to tell him she didn't know why Tate wanted to know that either.

"I see…" Tate muttered thoughtfully and started chewing on his lip. Helga couldn't help but cross her arms as she went to sit on her knees. "Is that a problem?" she asked defensively, but Tate waved his hand in disagreement. "Oh, no. Not as such. I'm more worried about… Well, Miss Pataki, acting as a lover to the person you are involved with can either be positive or negative. It is obviously positive with the two of you, I could truly feel the passion between you. What I'm worried about is whether you'd be able to play just as well if the other actor wasn't Arnold?" he asked and Helga frowned once more. "How rude." She whispered without moving her lips too much and Arnold sighed lowly.

"I assure you that Helga isn't affected by whom she acts with, Mr. Haddock." The director insisted and Helga smiled at him. "I would simply like to confirm it, that's all. Are there any other actors here who knows Mr. Shortman's lines?" Tate asked and Helga felt color drain from her face. "_Fuck_." She whispered after she had turned her head away from Tate's gaze. David turned to look at Maria. "_Shit_." He hissed and she gulped nervously. "Well…" the director started and sighed sympathetically. "I believe David Whitlock knows Aiden's lines as well." he answered. Tate smiled and looked towards David. "Do you mind taking Arnold's place for one scene?" he asked, his gaze indicating that he wasn't really asking, but rather ordering. "Not at all, sir." David replied, but looked nervously in Helga's director who was giving him a hateful stare. _Please, don't let your feelings ruin this for you, Helga._ David thought as he walked up the small stairs.

"Do you have a problem with that, Miss Pataki?" Tate asked Helga almost challengingly. Helga put on her best smile as she stood up. "Not at all, sir." She repeated David's words and looked at Arnold. "Sorry." She quickly whispered, but he just nodded at her and walked past David, who whispered an apology as well. Arnold wasn't as worried as Helga and David thought though; sure, he didn't like the thought of someone else being that close to Helga, but Damon was her dancing partner through most of the play and he was more than a little close to her all the time. Granted, Damon was gay so it wasn't really the same thing, but Arnold felt much more confident in his relationship with Helga than he did before they announced their relationship. Besides, Helga hated David right now; he wasn't really a threat.

"Well then. Go to your places." The director ordered and went back to his seat. Helga practically jogged towards her spot, but not quick enough for David not to catch up with her. "Helga, I know you hate me right now, but this is where you should act professionally and ignore your problem with me. _Please_, don't let yourself ruin this for you." he whispered and she whipped her head around, giving him another burning hateful glance. "I'm fully capable." She hissed and continued towards Adrasteia's spot. David sighed as he went towards Aiden's spot. _I hope you are._

Once the scene started, Maria put a hand on Arnold's shoulder. "Are you ok with this?" she asked in a whisper and he shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" he answered and looked back at the stage. _Please, do your best…_ He thought and crossed his fingers. Maria noticed and did the same thing. _Pretty please, David. Don't push Helga or something like that._ She thought and shut her eyes tight. "Are _you_ ok with this?" Arnold whispered when he noticed how Maria had closed her eyes. "Um… yeah. Actually, I am. David and I, we… maybe we won't work…" She muttered with a sad expression, but then shook her head and forced a smile on her face. "I guess we won't know until the play is over."

"You must have a sick wish to die if you're so desperate to see me for even a moment." Helga said with a little more venom in her voice than usual as she pushed David backwards with her hand on his chest. Arnold's turned whipped back to the stage. He chewed on his bottom lip and looked nervously at Maria who gulped. David was quick to turn around and pin Helga against the wall. She seemed angry for a second, as if it had hurt, but when she opened her eyes, her expression had grown soft. Arnold's eyebrows twitched in surprise and he moved towards the edge of his seat as if those few centimeters would make it easier for him to see.

"Please…" David whispered and something told Arnold that he was truly begging Helga at that point. Not to kiss him as Aiden, but to forgive him as David. "Please let me have you." he added a little more forcefully and Helga's face twitched for a mere second, but only David could see that. "Taking me is signing your own death penalty." Helga replied with a husky voice, a voice that showed a passion for the man in front of her. He put his hands on her cheeks. "Then let the Devil take me." He said and looked at her apologetically for a mere second before he kissed her. Helga's hands went to his shoulders and her fingers dug painfully hard into his flesh. She softened her hold before she let her hand travel to his head as his hand went to her thigh and caressed it gently, almost ghostly. He turned them around and started lowering them down and they landed on the floor as the red curtain fell.

Arnold sighed in relief and started clapping with the others. "That was painful to watch." Maria whispered and Arnold nodded in agreement. "It seems like I owe you an apology, Miss Pataki." Tate Haddock said as Helga and David appeared from behind the curtain. "Your acting in this scene is still marvelous even with another actor." He said and slowly stopped clapping to look in his notebook. "Thank you, Mr. Haddock." Helga said and scowled at David's hand, which he had offered to help her stand up. She stood up on her own account though and dusted her pants off. David sighed. "Helga, I - - "

"Although…" Tate interrupted and caught everyone's attention again. "The frustration Adrasteia is feeling with her current situation is more obvious with Mr. Whitlock than with Mr. Shortman. With Mr. Shortman though, the passion and the need is practically oozing out the both of you, so if I were to personally cast you, I wouldn't switch the roles around at all." He said with a smile and scribbled some more down. "There's a simple explanation to that." Helga said with a smile. "Compared to Arnold, David is much more capable of bringing out the anger in me." She explained, shot David a knowing glance and then went down the stage. David nodded, chewing on his lips in guilt before he followed her.

"Helga…" Arnold chastised in a whisper when she approached him, in the back of his mind questioning if she had forgotten how easily he could make her angry as well. She simply kissed his cheek again though and turned to await the director's instructions. He coughed awkwardly into his hand, the tension between his actors getting to him. "That was very good, you two. Now, uh…" he said and frowned for a moment. Helga's eyes widened in surprise and she turned to look at the other who looked just as baffled. The director never knew _not_ what to say. "Oh, right." The director then said and coughed again. "Helga, the designers have finished creating your dress for the finale scenes. Please go backstage and try it on so we can rehearse them. That counts for you too, Arnold and David. The rest of you will stay here with Ludmilla and refine the dance routines."

They all nodded in agreement and went towards their places, Helga, Arnold and David walking backstage. "Helga, please let me explain." David said as he stepped next to her. "Careful." She said with a scowl and stepped away from him. "Don't get too close to me. Maybe you'll catch my insanity." She hissed as she kept walking. David looked back at Arnold who sighed. "Helga, please listen to him." He begged. She halted and turned to gawk at him in shock. "How dare you take his side!" she said in anger and with a bit of hurt in her voice. "I-I'm _not_ taking sides, Helga! E-Even if I was, of course I'd be taking yours!" Arnold insisted. "Then start acting like it." Helga begged and sighed. "Look, I don't have time for you." she said to David. "I'm on edge enough as it is. Want me to forgive you? Then leave me alone today."

With those words, Helga continued forward and away from the boys, who sighed once more before following her. "If I leave you alone today, will you promise to let me talk to you afterwards?" David asked and almost crashed into Helga as she stopped again and looked at him over her shoulder. "I don't believe I owe you anything after Saturday night, but sure." She replied and then continued walking. David shot a quick glance in Arnold's direction who simply shrugged before they walked inside.

Lawrence was quick to notice Helga before he skipped happily towards her. "Hello, my darling! How are we doing today?" he asked and noticed the frown on her face. Her eyes traveled towards David who was talking to another designer about his own costume. After Lawrence had noticed her gaze and she had turned to look at him again, he made an artificial sound that indicated he was cold. "Has a snow storm developed in the world known as Helga Pataki?" he asked as a grin spread on his face. She stuck her tongue at him, which he just laughed at. "Don't you worry; your new costume is so _hot_ that it'll melt all your cares away!" he insisted before taking her hand and leading her behind one of the screens.

As his own designer started to explain the details in his outfit, Arnold glanced quickly in Helga's direction. He could hear Lawrence's excited banter as he also explained every piece in Helga's newest costume. "Are you listening to me, young man?" the slowly graying woman in front of Arnold asked and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. "Y-Yes, ma'am!" he lied, but the obvious skepticism on her face told him that she didn't believe him. "Good. Then please get dressed." She told him, shoved the fabric into his hands and pointed at a free screen. He automatically bowed his head gracefully before disappearing behind the screen and questioned why on earth he had just done that.

"You really don't need a lot of fabric for the girls' costumes, huh?" the boys heard Helga ask behind her own screen. Arnold blushed at the million different images that roamed through his mind and hoped he could in fact _fit_ his own costume after he would see Helga in hers. "And yet it's the girls' costumes that cost the most." David's designer pointed out as Lawrence stepped away from Helga's screen in order to give her some privacy. "Life's fucked up." David announced before politely shooing his own designer away. The three designers started chatting casually while the actors continued to undress and re-dress.

David was the first to come out from his screen. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this." he muttered as he looked at his leather-clad legs in the mirror. "Too bad. It's what the writer told us to create for our favorite villain." One of the designers insisted and flipped the end of the sleeves on David's leather jacket. "I feel stupid." David muttered, earning a smack on the head from Lawrence. "You look fabulous!" he insisted as the younger boy rubbed his sore head. "I'm not supposed to look fabulous; I'm supposed to look intimidating."

"David." Helga started from behind her screen. "No matter what you wear, _you_ are never going to look - - " she continued before her head appeared next to the screen, her bare shoulders indicating that she was mostly naked by now. She looked at David's outfit: black leather pants, black leather jacket and black, finger-less gloves on his hands, and without a word, she disappeared behind the screen. The designers looked questioningly at David who simply shrugged. Some muffled snickering could be heard and David rolled his eyes before crossing his arms. Before he could react, Helga had reappeared. "Say _Grease_." She ordered before pulling out her phone and taking his picture.

"Helga!" David scolded and was almost about to cover himself, but figured it was too late since Helga was laughing loudly as she was looking at her phone. "I swear to God, you look like John Travolta!" she announced before disappearing behind the screen again. "John Travolta never had this much swag!" David insisted, his pride breaking more and more each time Helga laughed. Due to their banter, Arnold couldn't help but appear from his screen; he was done changing anyway. When he saw David, his hand shot right up to his mouth. "Oh, whoa." He managed to squeak out before snickering once and then coughed under the designers' hard stares. "The make-up and his hair-do will make the look complete." Lawrence insisted and the other designers nodded.

Helga could be heard laughing again. "Yeah, some make-up will make him look a lot less like someone who should be perform as a go-go dancer in a gay bar." She said before appearing beside her screen, her arm leaning casually up against it and with her legs crossed. Arnold felt as if he had just swallowed his tongue. "Whoa." David simply stated, his own eyes a little more wide than usual, but Arnold was the one who might have to pick his jaw up from the floor later. Her arms and shoulders were mostly bare except for the black fishnet covering them all the way down to her middle finger. Her breasts were covered in black velvet fabric while a black leather corset covered her stomach all the way down to the black and red plaid skirt, which was held up by the black spiky belt hanging lazily down her hip. On her feet were a pair of black go-go boots, which made the tall girl even taller than she needed to be.

"Looks like the outfit has the wished effect." Helga stated as she walked towards Arnold and leaned down a bit until she was at his eye-level. He was staring straight into her half-lidded eyes, not daring to blink. He felt her finger touch his chin and forcing his mouth to close before she readjusted the collar on his neck. "You look cute." She said before she started to circle him, eyeing the outfit. He was wearing a pair of black shoes, brown pants, a white dress-shirt and a green vest. Arnold looked at her as she observed him, wondering why he felt like a vulture was watching him. "You know…" she said and stopped in front of him. "Your outfit reminds me of something or… some_one_."

Arnold looked down at himself and then turned to look at himself in the mirror. Helga snapped loudly. "A-ha! _Dimitri_!" she announced in realization and Arnold quirked an eyebrow at her. "You know, Dimitri from _Anastasia_." She explained and David snapped as well. "The animated 20th Century Fox movie?" he asked and she nodded. "Oh." Arnold muttered and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't remember that movie and somehow he couldn't help but frown at the fact that David obviously knew it. The designers were frowning as well. "He does _not_ look like Dimitri." One of them insisted stubbornly, huffed and then walked away. "He looks dashing. You did a splendid job." Helga said and started pushing at Arnold's back. "Let's get out before they rip your clothes off you. That's _my_ job."

Arnold blushed, but also snickered as they all walked out and re-entered the stage. They all quickly scooted around the dancers on the stage and went to sit next to the director and Tate Haddock. Tate gave a curt nod in Helga's direction, obviously disinterested in what was going on at the stage at the moment. Helga turned to look at Arnold and made a small choking sound. "You ok?" he asked with a smile and started to rub her shoulder. "Yeah… I'm just… Mr. Haddock's just…" she muttered and made the same choked sound again. Arnold made a low snicker as he continued to rub her softly. "It'll be ok. He's just being professional." He insisted and Helga frowned. "Do professionals _have_ to look like they're constipated?"

Arnold quickly hushed her, but Tate didn't seem like he was listening to them at all; the director was sitting between them after all, who was actually the one to shoot them a warning glare. "Mr. Hirsch, would it be completely unreasonable to request certain scenes from the manuscript?" Tate Haddock asked as he skimmed the manuscript, which the director gracefully enough had offered him. "Well… the premiere is within two weeks so there are certain scenes that are more important to rehearse right now." The director replied politely, but Helga could see he was starting to feel angry. Tate nodded absentmindedly and Helga wondered if he was even listening as he just kept skimming through the pages, obviously looking for her name on all the pages. She turned to look at Arnold. "I have a bad feeling…"

* * *

Helga's bad feeling had been more than justified. Tate Haddock took complete control over the play and which scenes to rehearse and which not to. He even changed some of the scenes in order to have more focus on Helga. He chose to have her show him scenes she already knew by heart, when she should have been rehearsing those she either had problems with or were a little iffy about. Helga was good in all her scenes, but there were scenes she preferred over others and those she weren't comfortable with were naturally the ones she should have practiced. To make matters worse, the director seemed ready to throw a hissy fit towards the end of the day.

"Sir, I am _so_ sorry!" Helga whispered once the director had ordered that people took a two-minute break. She was following him outside, noticing that he was fumbling with something in his pocket. He didn't reply as he simply stepped outside and pulled out something that looked like a cigarette package from his pocket. Within speed of light, he had turned on a cigarette and was sucking violently on it. Helga would usually have been tempted to make a dirty comment, but jokes were the last thing on her mind right then. She waited patiently as the smoke seemed to calm him down. "That man is driving me _crazy_!" he announced and took another puff. Helga did her best to ignore the smoke around despite her lungs protesting against it. _This is why I don't smoke. It stinks!_ She thought before stepping in front of him. "I'm sorry." She repeated. "Mr. Haddock is interfering way too much and I'd understand if you - - "

"No, no, no, Helga." The director interrupted and threw his cigarette on the ground. He stepped on it and twisted his ankle around until the black smoke emitting from the cigarette faded. "I am not at all angry with you. Tate Haddock has always been a… oh, let's call it _passionate _man about his work. He doesn't mean to mess with our pace, but he really has started to get on my nerves. Not a lot of people can do that." he said and shot Helga a look that made her cringe. She hid it with a smile though. "I guess Tate and I have that in common?" she asked and blinked sweetly. The director continued to look at her until he lifted his hand, patted her head and then started to walk towards the door. Helga blinked in shock. _Was that his weird attempt at showing affection?_ She wondered before following him.

Inside the auditorium, the other main actors were quick to notice Helga's presence. "Helga!" Maria called and the boys turned around. They all ran towards her and the director. "Mr. Haddock wants you to practice the rape scene." Arnold told her with a sour frown on his face, which she quickly took on. "_What_?! But we've already done that five times today, and we didn't even _need_ to practice it!" Helga said and heard the director growl in frustration next to her. "Is he dissatisfied with something?" he asked, but they all shook their heads. "No, but I'm starting to think he's a sadistic bastard who's getting off on it." David hissed and crossed his arms. Helga was quick to smack him at the back of his head. "_Ew_!" she stated more girlishly than she usually would have and looked over Arnold's shoulder at Tate Haddock who was currently talking with Camille. Helga rolled her eyes. "Looks like I've got some competition."

They all turned to look in Tate and Camille's direction. "No, you don't." they answered in unison and Helga smiled. The smile soon faded as she saw the director start to massage his temples in frustration. It took her five seconds to make a decision and as soon as she had, she pushed past David and walked towards Tate Haddock. "Mr. Haddock." She said in a firm voice and he turned to look at her. Camille shot her an annoyed look before walking away. "Oh, there you are, Miss Pataki. Listen, I was hoping to see the - - "

"No." Helga interjected and Tate blinked in surprise. "No?" he questioned. Everyone who had heard Helga were gawking at her. _Oh, no._ Arnold thought and looked nervously in David's direction who looked back at him. "No, Mr. Haddock, we won't do the rape scene again." she explained and he arched his back in a dignified way, his face going stern. "And why not?" he asked simply, a smile hidden in the corner of his mouth. Helga took a deep breath. "Mr. Haddock, we have less than fourteen days to make sure that everything in the play is going to be perfect. Unfortunately, the scenes you keep requesting are scenes that are already done to perfection. I understand your need to see me in my right element, but there are other actors in this play than me and frankly, they need more practice than I do."

Arnold smiled as he rolled his eyes, noticing that David was shaking his head. Maria sighed behind them as she crossed her arms. "We need more practice, huh?" she questioned in a low voice and snickered. Tate Haddock was looking at Helga with his signature strict expression, but Helga didn't falter. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Hirsch is in charge of this play again. Excuse me." She said, bowed her head and turned around, shooting the director a pleading look. "I extend the break to three more minutes." He announced and showed Helga a smile before she walked past him, tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes. Arnold quickly followed her and without seeing him, she knew he was there. She opened the door, held it for him and then they turned to sit against the wall next to it.

They didn't say anything, words weren't needed at first. Arnold knew in which direction Helga's thoughts were going, but he didn't know what to tell her so he just waited. After a few seconds, she looked at him. "I am never going to Broadway." She stated as she rubbed her palms against her eyes to wipe the tears away before they could appear. "You don't know that." Arnold insisted as he shook his head. "Oh, but I do." She countered with a sigh and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. "No one speaks to Tate Haddock that way without losing their head…" She mumbled against his neck, causing a shiver to go through him. "Good news is that means I'll have more free time once _Roadside Girl_ is over… Bad news is that I'll be in Los Angeles."

Arnold sighed. "Which is way further away from Hillwood than New York is…" He added and put his chin on Helga's head. He could feel her nod. "Helga, it'll… it'll be ok." He vowed and caressed her cheek. "Funny." She said and moved away from under him to look at him. "You seemed less confident this morning." She stated and he felt air leave his lungs for a moment at the reminder. The stinging pain returned, but he shoved it away. "I'm just…" he muttered and coughed to get the croak out of his voice. "I'm just trying to…"

"Look on the bright side?" Helga asked with a very small smile, which Arnold returned as he nodded. None of them said anything, but Arnold could feel that some words were building up inside Helga. She took his hand and moved to rest her forehead against his. "Arnold… I'm scared… too." She whispered almost inaudibly, but there was so much power behind those few words. Arnold shut his eyes tight. _Damn…_ He had really hoped that she was more confident in their situation than he was. He put his hands on her cheeks, her hands automatically going up to hold his hands as well. They looked at each other for a moment before going in for a tender kiss. A kiss that lasted for a long, bittersweet, but also agonizing moment.

The sound of the director's voice from inside the auditorium was what made them pull apart. Arnold offered Helga his hand and they helped the other stand up. They gave each other one last glance before they walked back inside. It felt as if all eyes were upon them as they walked towards the stage. "Miss Pataki." Tate said as they were about to walk past him. The blondes halted, Helga turning her head to look at him. "I will be taking my leave now." He said as he closed the buttons on his coat. Helga took a deep breath and nodded. She felt Arnold squeeze her hand, but it was a minor consolation. She had really hoped, a big part of her at least, that she would be able to say that she had been a Broadway actress.

Tate Haddock nodded gracefully before he started to walk. Helga turned to look at Arnold and shrugged. "Well, that's that." She whispered and he opened his mouth to speak, but another voice cut through. "Miss Pataki." Tate said and turned around. Helga looked at him over her shoulder. "We will be looking forward to seeing you on Broadway once _Roadside Girl_ is finished playing." He said with a small smile, a smile Helga barely noticed. She looked at Arnold, silently questioning if she had heard him wrong, but he looked just as dumbfounded. "But… I thought - - "

"You stood up when I was treating your fellow actors and your director unfairly. That shows commitment and loyalty, something we always seek in our actors. Congratulations." Tate said, gave a last nod and turned to continue walking. "Y… Yes, sir." Helga replied before he smiled at her again and then left the room. It took Helga a couple of seconds before a grin spread on her face. She looked at Arnold who started grinning as well. "I'm going on Broadway…" she whispered disbelievingly. "You're going on Broadway." Arnold confirmed and she started bouncing. "I'm going on Broadway!" she squealed and wrapped her arms around Arnold who started jumping with her. The sound of the others clapping as they approached them filled their ears.

"Congratulations, Helga!" Maria shrieked before Helga wrapped her arms around her and Maria was already bouncing when she did. "Way to go, Helga." David said with a smile and she stopped bouncing. She looked at him for a moment before she wrapped her arms around him too, surprising him. "Thank you." she whispered and he smiled as he hugged her back. "So… I'm forgiven?" he asked hopefully and heard her hum thoughtfully. "Forgiven, but not forgotten." She stated before leaning back to look at him. "I'll punish you for the rest of our lives." She said, but he just smiled. 'For the rest of our lives' meant that they would know each other for the rest of their lives, after all.

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Still don't know what to say! I am so not talkative right now it seems xD Well, except: as usual Helga's outfit has a reference in the form of a picture. Contact me on my YouTube or deviantArt account by same name and ask for a link so you can see it if you want to :3**


	21. It's making me blush

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After Helga and Tate Haddock had officially introduced themselves to each other, it was time to start the scouting and rehearsing the play. Tate was quick to interfere with the acting and even challenged Helga to do the love scene with David rather than Arnold. The outcome was more than satisfactory, but that didn't mean that Helga had forgiven David for his comments last Saturday.**_

_**After changing into their newest costumes, the rehearsing continued and so did Tate's nagging. He continued to question Helga, change the scenes and interfere until the director was ready to go berserk. Helga was the one to put a stop to it though, afterwards believing she had ruined her chances of going on Broadway. To everyone's surprise, Tate turned out to respect Helga's decision and declared her a soon-to-be Broadway actress.**_

**Author's 1st note: **_**So**_** much blushing in this one, you won't believe it! xP**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 21: "It's making me blush"

"Oh, my baby girl is going on Broadway!" Miriam squealed and managed to lift Helga off the ground. _How can a drunk have this much muscle power?!_ Helga thought as she almost choked in her mother's tight hold. "I am so proud of you!" Bob said before wrapping his arms around her too. "Yep. Thanks. Now please let go or all I'll be able to play on Broadway is a _corpse_!" Helga managed to choke out and her parents finally let go of her. "I didn't think you'd be _this_ happy." She muttered as she massaged her sore throat. "Of course we are!" Miriam said and tangled her hands together. "My daughter, on Broadway." Bob said proudly. Helga quirked an eyebrow when his face suddenly turned excited. "We should host a party as a celebration." He suggested and Miriam gasped happily. "Yes, what a good idea!"

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey, _hey_!" Helga interjected and her parents turned to look at her. "I have some rules if we're going to be having a party." She said and Bob frowned. "Rules?" he questioned and crossed his arms, looking ready to get defensive if needed. "One, _you_ are not cooking." Helga said as she pointed at Miriam, who made a sour face, but nodded in agreement. "Two, _you_ are not allowed to chew anyone's ears off about how proud you are of me." She said as she pointed at Bob who scowled deeply, but agreed with a groan. "Three…" Helga continued and chewed on her bottom lip. "I want to invite my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Bob repeated in confusion and looked at his wife. "The young man who picked her up for a date not too long ago." Miriam explained with a smile and Bob hummed in recognition. "The orphan boy!" he declared. "Ok, stop." Helga said, her eyes shut painfully tight. "Here's my next rule: You are not allowed to call him that. His name is Arnold and you will address him as such. Is that clear?" she asked sternly. Bob blinked in surprise. Helga had never talked to him in that sense before. Sure, she had been angry with him and yelled at him, but this strict tone in her voice was new. "All right." He said and put his hands up in defense. "If you say so."

Helga was surprised at her father's submissiveness. Frankly, she had imagined him throwing a hissy fit because of the way she had chosen to talk to him. "Well, all right then." She said in a stern voice and turned to walk out of the room. "You two can plan the details as long as you follow those few rules." She said as she waved dismissively and went up the stairs. _Did I just win a fight against my dad?_ She wondered for a second, smirked and made a small triumphant twirl before heading inside her room. She hopped onto her bed and stretched before grabbing her phone. It took her less than a second to speed dial Arnold's number and placing the phone next to her head on the pillow.

At Sunset Arms, Arnold gasped when he heard his phone ringing next to his ear. Much like Helga's current position, he was also lying on his bed and staring at the star-filled sky above him. He had been making small, casual plans about all the stuff he wanted to try with Helga here in Hillwood before she had to go to New York when his phone had started ringing. Once he saw Helga's name on the display, he couldn't help but look around suspiciously. It would be typical if she had decided to jump him right now, but he didn't see any pink or blonde nearby so he simply answered. "Hi, Helga."

"You ever been choked to death?"

Arnold blinked one, two, three times in surprise at Helga's question. He then snickered. "Well… if that was the case, I would be living proof that zombies can co-exist in our world." He said before turning around on his back, his hand holding the phone close to his ear. He could hear her chuckling on the other side of the phone and a familiar warmth spread in his chest. He really did like her laughter, even with that little snort she would sometimes make. It was really cute, but he couldn't copy it even if his life depended on it. It wasn't cute when he did it. "I'm guessing your parents were happy about the news?"

"Ding-ding-ding, a blue ribbon for the blue-hatted boy." Helga answered in a singsong voice, causing Arnold to laugh. "They're so happy that they're planning to throw me a party." She continued and he blinked again in surprise. "Really? Whoa! They are really going all in, huh?" he asked with a smirk on his face. He really was happy that Helga was getting more along with her family, or that they were at least paying more attention to her. _A party to celebrate Helga going on Broadway… huh._ He thought and felt the smile leave his face. _No. Keep smiling._ He ordered himself, but when he looked at himself in the mirror, Helga's voice continuing to speak in his ear, he saw that the smile refused to get back on.

It took Helga a few seconds before she realized that Arnold wasn't responding and perhaps wasn't even listening to her. "Arnold?" she asked gently and heard him hum absentmindedly. _What's with him?_ She wondered for a second, but then gasped when she thought she realized what the problem was. "Oh, Arnold. I'm sorry." She said and finally got his attention again. "Huh?" he questioned and sat up. "I keep talking about my parents and how they're noticing me all of a sudden and you… I-I'm sorry." She repeated and Arnold frowned confusedly for a moment. _Why is she…?_ He thought, but then figured it out. "Oh, no, Helga, that's not it! I wasn't thinking about my parents at all!" he insisted with a laugh and heard her sigh in relief. "Oh, thank God! I thought I had just… Wait, what were you thinking about then?"

When Arnold's laugh faded, Helga frowned. "Oh…" she muttered when she understood and sat up on her bed. They were quiet for what seemed like forever. "So, uh…" Helga mumbled. "Would you be completely against coming to the party?" she asked softly. "Huh?" he muttered in confusion. "Oh, uh… I-I told Bob and Miriam that I wanted to bring my boyfriend." She explained. Arnold felt heat rushing through him. _Boyfriend?_ He repeated in his head and a blush spread on his entire face and his ears. "There's no date for the party yet since they only declared they wanted to throw one ten minutes ago." Helga continued nervously, hoping she didn't sound as nervous and lame as she felt. "I don't know if they want it to be casual or this big thing. You know Bob, he likes to overdo things and - - "

"I-I'll be there." Arnold interrupted, putting a sharp halt on Helga's one-sided speech. Somehow, she felt surprised, but she wasn't sure why. Then she suddenly realized that she had called him her boyfriend and while that was indeed true, she had never said the word aloud before. Her cheeks turned pink at the realization. "R-Really?" she asked and felt a smile creep up on her face. "Yeah. J-Just tell me when as soon as they know, ok?" he asked excitedly and could hear her sigh in relief on the other end. "Sure!" she said happily and looked towards her clock. "Oh, we should probably go to bed. The photographer will be there first thing in the morning." She said in a speedy voice, her heart pounding eagerly inside her ribcage. Arnold nodded at her reminder, but then shook his head when he remember she couldn't see him. "Yeah! L-Let's go to bed then." He said and fell back on the bed obediently to his own suggestion.

"Yup, we should look fresh and rested tomorrow so go to bed, Football Head. Oh, bad rhyme." Helga responded and laughed lamely before landing on her bed again. Arnold laughed though. "Yeah. Good night, Helga." He said and turned on his side. "Sweet dreams, Arnold." she responded and waited a couple of seconds before she hung up. Arnold kept smiling at his phone as if he thought Helga could see him through it. "Boyfriend…" he whispered and felt the red color spread like paint over his entire skin. He then pulled his duvet over his whole body before rolling from side to side like a hyperactive caterpillar that wasn't sure how to move around just yet. In the back of his mind, he questioned if he was too old to feel this happy about something so simple… but the front of his mind just didn't care. Both he and Helga fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

* * *

"I think Miss Pataki should change her costumes so we get pictures with all of her outfits."

"No, bad idea. Somehow, that spoils her look for every scene. It'd be better just to have her in the very first outfit instead."

"How does her clothes bust the play?"

"Not the play as such, but if people have already seen every piece of clothing she will wear, the effect of it will wear down during certain scenes."

Helga's eyes, along with the rest of the actors', continued to travel between the director and the photographer who had been discussion the same issue for a while now. Some might call it creative differences; Helga would call it idiocy. The director insisted that Helga should wear one outfit for every picture, no matter what the picture would be used for, so that as little as possible would be revealed. The photographer, on the other hand, insisted upon variety and to make the fact that Helga was the protagonist more obvious by having her the only one switching outfits between the pictures. As if her name beneath the title wouldn't be hint enough. This discussion had been going on for about a half hour: everyone was already dressed, the girls in the black leather-dresses and Helga in the same one, the boys and David in leather outfits as well, albeit more varied than the girls dresses were and Arnold in his Dimitri costume, as Helga had insisted upon calling it. They had been ready for the photo-shoot for a while, but had yet to have a single picture taken.

"This is getting ridiculous." David whispered in Helga's ear and she nodded in agreement. "Can't you do something?" Maria asked and Helga shot her an incredulous look. "_Me_? What the hell am I supposed to say? It's not like we can find some middle ground here or anything." She said, but as soon as she heard her own words, she sighed. "I'm such an idiot." She stated before stepping forward and coughing to get the men's attention. They turned to look at her. "How about this: We agree that I have six different outfits to work with, right?"

They nodded.

"Mr. Hirsch, you are nervous about the lack of power some dresses will have if people have already seen them. I'm imagining that you're thinking specifically of the outfits for _Bad_, _I'm your favorite drug_ and _I'm not an angel_, am I correct?"

The photographer looked at the director who nodded.

"So how about we leave those outfits out and for the photos, we will use the outfits for _I hate you_, _I want my innocence back_ and _s.e.x._? That way we can get the variety _you_ want, but also the power of surprise for once the play has premiered. Fair enough?" Helga suggested. The director and photographer looked at each other, smiled and nodded. "Very diplomatic of you, Helga. We shall do that then. We'll begin now." The director said and clapped twice while the photographer started to pull out his equipment. Helga turned to smile at her fellow actors. "Quite diplomatic, aren't I?" she asked with a big grin.

"We shall start with the more dull pictures first." The photographer declared while he adjusted the equipment on the stage. "I need you all to line up for portraits. We'll use these pictures to put next to your names and roles in the folders that will be sold before each play." He explained and watched them all line up. Helga was the first in line, simply because she had been the quickest on her feet. The photographer smiled at her. "Come over here, Miss Pataki." He ordered gently and she skipped towards him. Once he had taken her picture, he took Arnold's, David's, Maria's, Damon's, Camille's and soon, he had a portrait of everyone in the play, even one including the director.

"All right. We shall continue with the rest of the pictures for the folder. Not all the pictures we take now will be used, but feel free to improvise and have fun with it, ok? We have nothing specific in mind for these particular pictures so just go with the flow." The photographer said before looking up at the sound technician. "Could we have some music, please?" he asked and the sound technician shrugged before he looked through the music. "Uh, none of our songs are really for _cutting loose_." Maria pointed out as she and the others went on the stage, but the photographer waved her off. "Just have fun with it."

"I'm confused." Helga stated in a low voice to the people closest to her. "One second he's very professional, next he's all casual. Photographers are weird." She muttered before lifting her arms and stretching, her back making a small crack in the process. Arnold hissed at the sound and put his hands on his ears. "You really need to stop doing that…" he begged and she pouted. "Oh, I'm sorry, sweety." She said before patting his head. He sighed in relief, but as soon as he had removed his hands, she cracked his fingers. "Helga!" he scolded at the laughing girl, but soon her laughter was overpowered by the music from the stereo. Helga looked at the sound technician in disbelief when she recognized the song. "_Shake it off_, really?" she asked and saw the sound technician shrugging innocently in his glass booth. "I love Taylor Swift!" Maria declared as she bounced happily and started dancing.

The others gawked at Maria for a while due to her weird way of dancing, but soon Maria turned to look at Helga. "Come on!" she begged and reached her hand out for her. With a sigh, Helga lifted her hand and Maria was quick to grab it. Helga gasped when the shorter girl pulled her roughly towards her and started doing some sort of silly tango with her. Helga couldn't help but start laughing; this was extremely weird and awkward, but also so much fun. The song was perfect for it after all. "Come on!" she encouraged the others and took Arnold's hand, forcing him into a three-way tango with her and Maria. After a few seconds, he had caught onto their steps and was laughing with them.

"Yes, that's the spirit! Come on, the rest of you join in!" the photographer encouraged and readjusted his camera. When everyone seemed a little too shy to actually step forward and just be random, Helga shot them a look, which got them all sprinting out on the scene. The click from the photographer's camera was barely heard due to the music, but they were all aware of the camera. While some very going full-blown crazy, others were choosing their moves more carefully. Once the song was over, the photographer declared that they had enough, and good, pictures for the folder. "Now, we need the pictures for the posters and such. You will still get a chance to improvise, but we have some specific situations and positions the writer has requested."

The photographer handed Helga a piece of paper. She quickly scanned it and found her own name soon. "He's got a theme, I see." She muttered and showed Arnold the different drawings of positions the writer wished for. The blonde boy blushed at a few of them. "Sheesh…" he muttered embarrassedly, earning an elbow to his ribs from Helga. "Don't pretend you're gonna hate it." she teased and handed David the paper. He and the rest of the actors and dancers soon had an idea for what the writer wanted and went to their positions. "We'll start with the front shot of Miss Pataki and the prostitutes." The photographer stated and waved the girls over to him. "We really are your bitches." Maria said to Helga who couldn't help but place her arm over her shoulders. "My girls from Hell."

The photographer laughed at their exchange. "Ok, girls. This particular picture is a little more free-spirited than some of the others. You know the basics: make it sexy, but not too vulgar and go with the flow." The photographer ordered before turning to look at the sound technician. "Fitting music, please!" he said and the sound technician gave him a thumbs-up before starting a playlist with the instrumental versions of all the songs in the play. The boys watched in the background as the girls experimented with different poses and were obviously having a lot of fun with it. Arnold on the other hand felt ready to burst when Helga at one point decided to wink at him while one of the girls leaned her back.

David nudged his elbow teasingly against Arnold's arm few moments before Maria decided to copy Helga's action and it was David's turn to be nudged by Arnold. "How is it going with you and Maria, by the way?" he asked curiously and David shrugged. "Not sure. After Saturday night, it feels like she's… given up on me." He replied with a sour look on his face, which Arnold studied with interest. "Do you _want_ her to give up on you?" he asked. David tilted his head to the side thoughtfully as he watched Maria goof around with Helga while the photographer was fixing something on the camera. He then looked back at Arnold and shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Miss Pataki, the camera really loves you. Have you considered modelling?" the photographer asked with a smile, but Helga shook her head violently. "Hell no! Been there, done that, _never_ doing it again!" she replied and the photographer laughed. "Well, all right then. Ok, girls. We have some really hot shots of you now. Miss Pataki, please go and change your outfit for your pictures with Mr. Whitlock." The photographer said and Helga nodded before jumping off the stage. She quickly found the dress, which was designed for _I hate you_, the duet between her and Arnold, but would be the one for the pictures of her and David. Helga loved this particular dress, though she couldn't put a finger on why. It was made out of a black corset with what looked like red petals over her breasts and stomach. The skirt of it was black and frilly and with three red lines for every layer on it. She was also wearing a pair of black, long gloves and some thigh-high stockings with black garters. It wasn't her favorite outfit, that was the one for _I'm your favorite drug_, but this one had something about it. Once she had gotten dressed, she moved back to the stage to see that everyone were already in their positions. She quickly scooted over to David who was standing at the front of the stage.

"All right. Let's do the choke." the photographer suggested as he eyed the paper in his hand. "_The choke_." Helga repeated in horror, but stepped obediently in front of David who snuck his arms around her. "Mr. Whitlock, one hand on Pataki's throat, the other on her hip, your nose next to her cheek so we can see half of your face. Miss Pataki, dead look in your eyes, mouth slightly open, your left arm hanging over Whitlock's arm. People in the back ground, stand stiff." The photographer instructed and the actors did as told. The photographer kept taking pictures as David and Helga moved an inch for each new frame, they had done this before after all and knew how it worked.

"Twist your right leg." The photographer ordered and Helga twisted her knee towards her other leg. "Good." He said before she declared that she was losing her balance. David was quick to react and grabbed her thigh in a feeble attempt at steadying her. It worked for about a second, but they both ended up clashing on the floor. "Ow!" Helga declared and swung her leg out to stretch it. "Sorry. You ok?" David asked and removed his weight from her. "Yeah, think so. Did we get the shot?" she asked before grabbing David's hand and letting him hoist her back up. "The last one was in fact perfect!" the photographer answered enthusiastically. "Fantastic. Can we take five?" Helga asked while she readjusted her leg, hoping she would feel no pain. "Yes, sure." The photographer answered and went to sit in one of the seats while he looked through the pictures.

"You sure you're ok?" David asked as they walked towards the others at the back of the stage. "I'm fine. Don't worry. You haven't given me yet another reason to be pissed at you." Helga replied with a smirk, patted his head teasingly and went to sit down with the others, more specifically next to Arnold. David groaned sarcastically before sitting down as well, noticing that Arnold had a rather wide smirk on his face. "You sure you're ok?" he asked and started playing with a lock of Helga's hair. "I'm fine, Football Head…" She muttered with a cracking smile on her face. The others around them looked questioningly at each other. "Um, excuse me, but aren't you two even more disgusting than usual?" Camille asked with her painted eyebrow quirked.

Arnold and Helga didn't notice the hidden insult in Camille's voice and just shrugged innocently. "Nothing… specific… happened." Arnold insisted, but Helga's snicker spoke against his words. He punched a small and very gentle fist at her shoulder, but she just waved his hand off as if it had tickled. Camille stuck her finger into her mouth and made a fake gagging sound, which caused a few laughs. "Seriously, what's going on?" Maria asked and bounced on her knees excitedly. "Calm down, sweety." David ordered gently and with a smile on his face. Maria's smile faded instantly and she gawked at him in slight shock. The sound of the nickname had made her skin change color quicker than dipping something in red paint would have. "Oh, God! _Two_ dumbass couples!" Camille declared in despair and fell backwards as if all the sugar around her had killed her.

Helga looked questioningly at Arnold when she had heard David call Maria sweety. He simply smiled and shrugged at her before kissing her cheek. "I'll tell you later." He promised her and she smiled. "Seriously though, what's gotten you two in such a mood?" Damon asked as he wiggled his eyebrows. "Is it because of what I think?" he asked and nudged his elbow at Arnold who blushed a bit, but the grin was still wide. "No! You pervert!" Helga replied and kicked him by his chest. She had done it gently, but he had gotten the message and moved away from Arnold.

"Wait. You haven't done it yet?" Damon asked in shock and Helga frowned. "It's none of your business." She insisted again. "You're kidding!" Maria squealed in slight horror. "You've been together for this many months already! It's _cold_ outside by now, go warm each other up!" She continued and started smiling again. "That would have been the first thing I would have done." Camille stated. "We _know_, Camille." David said and she snorted at him. "To be fair, they have only been officially together since the party." he pointed out. "But they've known each other since they were three and they have unofficially together since Arnold join our play." Maria argued. "We hated each other in the beginning!" Helga stated, but they all just shot her a bored look. "Yeah, right." They countered and Helga frowned in Arnold's direction who looked a little dumbfounded at the situation.

It wasn't like Arnold didn't want to sleep with Helga… he would have to be blind, dead and crippled all at the same time if he didn't. As much as they had already done, they had in fact never been alone for long enough to go all the way. "I'm just saying," Maria interjected. "It's not like they have all the time in the world. The premiere is _this_ Saturday and once it's over, Helga will be going to New York! It's already Tuesday and these last couple of days, we're going to be rehearsing 24/7. Their chances are running out!"

"Hey, _sweety_." Helga hissed and caused them all to look at her. "Arnold and I are _right here_." She pointed out before standing up. "We're ready again!" she told the photographer and started walking backstage in order to change. "Oh, we're sorry, man." Damon said and patted Arnold's back. "We didn't mean to put a downer on you two." David explained, but Arnold wasn't angry with them at all. He simply nodded and stood up, brushing his backside off just in case the least bit of dust had gotten on the costume. _They're right… Helga and I actually have a deadline._ He thought and sighed. A deadline for having sex was probably the worst kind of deadline he had ever encountered.

Helga was quick to return after having changed. The outfit she would be wearing for the final shots with Arnold was the same outfit she would be wearing at the end of the play; for the song _I want my innocence back_. Their eyes met, but not for long. They knew what the other was thinking, it didn't take a genius. They had been so happy a second ago, but their crewmembers had been quick to remind them of the pain soon to come. Helga shook her head, refusing to let her now sour mood ruin the pictures. She approached Arnold and kissed his cheek, hoping it would coax him into doing the same. At the sight of his usual smile, she smiled as well.

"Ok, you two. Get in position." The photographer ordered and got behind his camera. "Uh… what was it again?" Arnold asked and Helga had to chew on her bottom lip guiltily. "Yeah, I don't remember either." She admitted and the photographer rolled his eyes. "Lie down on your back on the floor, Miss Pataki." He ordered and once she had done as told, the photographer told Arnold to hover above her, with his legs between hers. He coughed a little awkwardly when some of the boys behind them decided to whistle teasingly. "You need to get closer to her." the photographer encouraged and some hollers were heard from the others. "The maturity level of you guys is extraordinary!" Helga scolded, but did in fact feel a bit bad for Arnold. He was blushing a tiny bit, especially when their pelvises touched. He'd had his eyes closed until the photographer told him to open them.

"Miss Pataki, put your left leg over Mr. Shortman's waist, please." The photographer said and Helga did as told, not blind to Arnold's reaction to it even though he was doing his best to hide it. "Hand on his throat." He continued and Helga did as told though only after she had pinched Arnold to mock him. He frowned at her, but the feeling of her bare legs around him, even if he himself was wearing pants, made the frown fade soon enough. "Arnold." Helga whispered and his eyes shot open. Her hand on his cheek turned him to look at the photographer who was smiling patiently. "Mr. Shortman. I understand you may feel awkward doing this, but I need you to listen to what I'm saying."

"Y-Yes, sir…" Arnold answered shyly as he heard Helga snicker beneath him. "All right, first shot." The photographer declared and Helga's face changed instantly. The smirk disappeared and turned into a pair of seductive, slightly parted lips, her eyes going half-closed. Arnold's own eyes widened. How could she change her expression so easily? "Mr. Shortman! Turn your head to look into the camera like Miss Pataki is doing." The photographer scolded gently and Arnold turned his head obediently. "I would prefer an aroused expression rather than a terrified one, Mr. Shortman, if you don't mind."

"Relax." Helga whispered in Arnold's ear and blew gently into the shell of it. Arnold's face scrunched for a moment, but once it relaxed again, his expression resembled Helga's. "Much better! Whatever you did, Miss Pataki, please continue." The photographer said, truly blind to what exactly Helga had done to make Arnold change his expression so perfectly. "Yes, sir." She said and smirked at Arnold who groaned at the feeling of his body starting to react to her advances. "_Someone's_ having fun." she whispered teasingly as the photographer kept taking pictures and guiding them into changing their expression a small parts of their body. "Sh-Shut up!" Arnold begged in a low voice, going quiet for a moment as another flash blinded him for a mere second. "S-So are you…!" Arnold insisted and noticed Helga quirking an eyebrow at him. He felt another flash, but ignored it. "I'm guessing?" he added, but she still said nothing. "Why aren't you saying anything?" he asked. "You didn't ask anything." She responded and tightened her hold on him with her legs. "Did all the talk about sex get you worked up?" she asked teasingly. "_You_ are working me up…" He muttered childishly before gulping. He felt his heartbeat quicken once his entire body got even closer to hers than before, but also because of her comment.

"Miss Pataki, please place Mr. Shortman's cheek against your own and turn to face me." The photographer ordered and Helga did as told. Once the first flash had shown, her expression changed to a small frown. "They're… right, you know." She whispered and turned to look at Arnold once the next couple of flashes had appeared. He looked questioningly at her. "We don't have all the time in the world… Once the play premieres, our free time will be even shorter. Our time is running up." She explained and he frowned, even scowled at her. He noticed another flash in his peripheral vision, but ignored it. "I don't… I don't want to do it just because." He insisted stubbornly.

Helga looked at Arnold for moment, observing the way his eyebrows were knitted together. "Arnold." she said in a grave tone he hadn't heard from her mouth before. "It will _never_ be just because if it's with you." she swore and he felt his heart speed up again. Their chests were pressed together, their hearts starting to find a united rhythm. "Oh, by the way." The photographer said, unaware of the conversation going on between the blondes in front of him. "If you two have any ideas of your own then go for it. Don't hesitate to…" He continued, but before he could finish, Arnold and Helga's lips had met in a kiss. A kiss that showed so much passion that his eyes almost fell out of his eye sockets. "To improvise…" he finished and clumsily snapped many pictures.

Helga let go of Arnold's mouth with a small moan and her lips went to his ear. "I want you, Arnold… Surely, you know how much?" she asked huskily, her hands going into his hair and her hips meeting his desperately. She heard him groan in her ear, his enthusiasm starting to go just as physical as emotional. "S-Surely not right _now_?" he questioned shakily. "No, but when you want me…" she said and caressed her cheek against his. "Take me." She ordered in a whisper that made him choke. His breathing grew irregular and droplets of sweat was running down his forehead as he jumped off her, declaring that they should take another break before he jumped off the stage. "But we had a break just a minute…" the photographer countered, but Arnold was already out of the auditorium. The photographer, the director and the rest of the actors looked questioningly at Helga as she stood up and dusted herself casually off. Once she had noticed their stares, she shrugged innocently and started walking across the stage, humming to herself. "_That magic in your pants, it's making me blush…_"

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: I believe that if I had counted correctly then there should be around… two chapters left or something like that… Oh, dear xD Once again, I feel myself torn between being happy that I have finished yet another story and sad that another of my stories is ending Cx Oh, well! That's the way it goes and I'm looking forward to start my next project once this is fully over :3 I hope you will want to read that one too! ^^**

**Oh, and as per usual, Helga's dress for her pictures with David had a referred picture so if you would like to see it, message me on YouTube or deviantArt and I will send you the link :3**

**Songs:**

**Taylor Swift – Shake it off**

**Ke$ha – Die young (deconstructed, since that version is so much better xD)**


	22. We've become one

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** After telling her parents that she was going on Broadway, Bob declared that they would host a celebration party in her honor. Helga was quick to call Arnold and ask him to the party, which he gladly agreed to, especially after calling him her boyfriend for the very first time.**_

_**The next day, it was time to take the photos for the posters, folders and such. After some creative differences between the director and the photographer, the photo-shoot could finally begin. During a break though, where Arnold and Helga seemed undeniably happier than usual, their cast members pointed out that they did in fact not have much time to be in each other's presence before they would all get too busy or Helga would leave to go to New York.**_

_**Arnold was scared for a moment that he and Helga would do it just because, but Helga was quick to prove to him that it would never be just because.**_

**Author's 1st note: I kinda wanna say 'warning', but if you have read this far, your innocence is probably already fucked up so… no warning! (But now you know what will happen xD)**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 22: "We've become one"

"Good evening, everybody! How are you all doing?" the woman excitedly asked to her audience before they all cheered loudly. "My name is Brenna Shapiro and we have some _very_ special guests tonight. As all of you know, Garrison Hirsch is a theatre director whose current project is _Roadside girl_, a play about a young man who falls in love with a prostitute. The play will be premiere this Saturday and in celebration, we have asked him and his main actors to join us for tonight! Give a warm welcome to Garrison Hirsch, Helga Geraldine Pataki, Arnold Phillip Shortman _and_ David Whitlock!" she continued excitedly, the crowd standing up and clapping as they watched them walking onto the stage. The director first, then Helga followed by Arnold and with David behind them. They all had smiles plastered on their faces, but Arnold's was the one that looked the most tense.

"Good evening and welcome." Brenna greeted them all and sat down on her own dark purple chair, which made a nice contrast to the full body suit she was wearing. Helga made sure to sit between Arnold and the director as she had been instructed to do earlier before the live-interview had begun. She could feel Arnold's hand searching for hers and it didn't bother her that it was probably more out of anxiety than the need to cuddle. She gripped it tightly and squeezed soothingly before letting her thumb caress his hand repeatedly. She could see him smiling in her peripheral vision.

"So, Mr. Hirsch, your newest production premieres in only two days. Is everything perfect down to the last nail in the floor?" Brenna asked with a toothy grin and the director smiled at her. "Yes, everything is already as it should be, but we are definitely not slacking off for that reason. Isn't that true?" he asked and turned to look at his actors. "You kidding? I have blue marks to prove it." David said jokingly, causing the audience to laugh. Helga snorted though. "Blue marks?" she repeated and rolled her shoulders, successfully causing the bones in her body to crack loudly. The audience hissed at the sound. "If my bones don't heal after this experience, I'm going to sue you, Mr. Hirsch." Helga joked and the director laughed.

"Oh, yes, Miss Pataki. I am sure that as the protagonist you are the one working the hardest?" Brenna asked curiously. "Oh, I wouldn't say I'm the one who is working the hardest, but I do have more lines to remember." Helga joked again, the audience also laughing again. "Who would you say the one working the hardest is?" Brenna asked with a mischievous smirk. "I'd say we all do our best in our own ways, but Arnold did join us later so probably him." Helga replied and looked at Arnold who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. _Why are you putting me in focus, Helga?!_ He had thought with a small frown before Brenna turned her eyes to him. "Yes, that's right." She said and looked at the audience. "Mr. Shortman here was in fact not the first choice to play the character of Aiden, the man who falls in love with Helga's character, Adrasteia." She explained and turned to look at him again. "How come you got the part, Mr. Shortman?"

"Oh, I-I, um…" Arnold started nervously, but was interrupted by the director. "I chose Mr. Shortman for this role after seeing the chemistry he had with Miss Pataki on the stage. The actor who had been originally chosen to play Aiden broke his leg and when we were at wit's end, Mr. Shortman came to the rescue." He explained on Arnold's behalf, and Arnold made a mental note to thank him later. "Interesting that you should bring chemistry up yourself, Mr. Hirsch. Rumor says that Miss Pataki and Mr. Shortman are in fact dating. Is this true?" Brenna asked and Helga turned to look at Arnold with a smile who nodded to the question. The audience whistled and clapped, which Arnold smiled shyly at. "You two weren't dating when Mr. Shortman was first casted, am I correct?" Brenna asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "How did the off-stage romance start?"

"Well, Arnold and I have known each other since we were children - - "

"Oh, so it was written in the stars that you two would find each other again?"

"Not exactly… To make a long story short, I often bullied Arnold when we were children and I'm sure he was more than relieved when I left Hillwood to pursue my acting career back when we were thirteen years old. Frankly, when Mr. Hirsch decided to give Aiden's role to Arnold, I was still in the phase of wanting to strangle him."

"She sounds like a fierce one, Mr. Shortman."

"You have no idea." Arnold countered, which the audience laughed at. "Tell us with your own words how it was seeing Helga Pataki again after all those years." Brenna inquired and the audience seemed to be just as interested as she was. Finally, Arnold seemed confident enough to answer himself, so Helga didn't try to interfere. "Well… unlike what Helga thinks, I was actually not at all relieved when she left Hillwood back then. I had just slowly started to develop feelings towards her so when she left, I actually started to hate her a little bit." He answered with an apologetic smile in Helga's direction. She smiled back at him. "Sorry." She said in a whisper, but he just snickered. "Seeing her again was… a volcano of emotions. One part of me was still in love with her and the other one hated her for everything she did back when we were children."

"So how did your relationship develop from that?"

"We… We went back and forth in the beginning. We fought, we made up, we screamed, we kissed, we got mad, we fell in love - - "

* * *

"Ok, that's enough!" Helga declared loudly and turned off the screen. Arnold gawked at Helga in mock shock, her hand waving the remote control teasingly. "Why did you stop the video?" he asked with a laugh and tried to get the remote control from her. "_Because_ hearing your explanation of how our relationship developed was embarrassing enough when this live-show was actually _recorded_! I refuse to hear it twice!" she insisted before throwing the remove away somewhere on the carpet so Arnold couldn't get ahold of it. "I can't believe Bob recorded this."

"I can't believe you're still shocked." Arnold countered and gestured to Bob's collage of pictures and articles about Helga including the DVD's of every single play she had ever been in, plays Arnold had managed to watch one-by-one by now. "I mean, he practically has an altar of you so why wouldn't he record that interview?" he asked with an eyebrow arched and Helga snorted. "I guess you're right." She said before leaning back on the couch, her knee-long dress traveling up her bare thighs. It was a dress she had insisted upon wearing despite Bob thinking it wasn't elegant enough for the party. It was a dark cyan-colored dress with thick straps over her shoulders and shaping down nicely against her hourglass figure. Around her waist was a small belt with a slightly lighter shade of cyan and a dark tulle flower on one side. She felt comfortable in the dress and by the way Arnold had stared when he had seen her in it, she figured she looked good in it too. Arnold himself hadn't dared going against Bob's dress code so he had arrived in his most expensive tuxedo. Helga had managed to convince him into wearing his blue tie though.

"Hey, you two." Bob said, his head appearing in the living room where the blondes were sitting. "The guests are going to arrive soon, Helga, so if you want to rethink that outfit, it's your last chance." He said, but Helga simply crossed her arms stubbornly. Bob sighed. "I hope you can knock some sense into her someday, Arnold." Bob said and Arnold smiled. "I'll do my best, sir." He answered, happy to have heard his actual name from Bob's lips since he had arrived about a half hour earlier than when the party was supposed to start. Bob gave him a thumbs-up for his comment and disappeared. Helga turned her head to look questioningly at Arnold who instantly sensed the danger emitting from her and he shook his head violently. "Don't change a thing!"

* * *

Arnold sighed once more as he kicked a rock on the asphalt away. He wasn't sure what time it was anymore, only that it was completely dark outside, except for the street lights. He could feel a few raindrops falling on his hair and his suit, but it was a very gentle rain: not at all reflecting how he felt. The party at the Pataki household had been so much fun in the beginning. He and Helga had talked a lot about the premiere of the play, which was already tomorrow, but then the subject had changed to Helga's upcoming career on Broadway. Helga had tried to change the subject at first, but the guests had been too curious about all the little details. What she would play in, for how long, where she would live, for how long she would _stay_… Arnold's mood had turned sourer and sourer through the last couple of hours. When it was time to go home, he had given Helga's cheek a kiss that had little to no emotion, which he feared she noticed.

"I hate myself!" Arnold shouted frustrated into the night. He truly hated that he couldn't be _only_ happy for Helga other than feeling pain and partially anger as well. He hated that he had to let her go again. It didn't matter how positive he tried to be, his brain couldn't fool his heart. With a sniff, his eyes traveled to look at the street he was walking on. He recognized it easily, he had been here many times as a child, but had to admit that he in his later years hadn't been in this particular area all too often. The sound of a door shutting caught his ears and he turned towards the noise. "Mrs. Vitello?" he questioned and the elderly woman turned to look at him. "Oh, Arnold! It's been such a long time."

"It sure has." Arnold answered and approached the flower shop she had just locked down. "How are you doing?" she asked with a smile, but it faded at the sight of the small frown on the usually cheerful boy's face. "Not so well, I see…" she muttered and looked inside her shop. "Oh! Any chance I can cheer you up with some flowers? I never truly did get to thank you for saving my flower shop back at the whole FTI incident." she suggested. Arnold was about to decline, but then her words echoed in his mind. _Come to think of it… I haven't really congratulated Helga properly for being accepted on Broadway…_ He thought and eyed the flowers inside the shop. Before he knew it, he had nodded and Mrs. Vitello had unlocked the door.

"Please, do take a look around. It'll be my treat." Mrs. Vitello said with a smile and gestured for Arnold to walk inside. He smiled gently at her and walked inside with lighter steps than he had when he was walking outside. He felt lightheaded. Somehow, the thought of congratulating Helga properly seemed like the perfect idea all of a sudden. Perhaps at the sight of her surprised smile, he could feel better about the situation. She was amazing after all, going on Broadway at such a young age… She deserved something special. "Mrs. Vitello." He said as the woman closed the door behind them. "Do you have some flowers that are… rare?"

Mrs. Vitello tilted her head to the side in surprise. "Oh, are you thinking of giving them to someone special?" she asked with a beaming smile. "If you don't mind?" Arnold asked, but the woman waved him off. "Of course not! They are for Helga, aren't they?" she asked and Arnold's eyes widened in surprise. "Now, Arnold, you are insulting me. I may not be as young as I used to be, but even I follow the news like a hawk. Your and Helga's relationship were mentioned in that Brenna Shapiro show and I _am_ going to watch _Roadside girl_ tomorrow evening." She explained and Arnold smiled at the information. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you, Mrs. Vitello." He said and she smiled back. "Helga still loves pink, right?"

Arnold nodded at her question as she approached some flowers standing in a black, plastic vase on the floor. "How about some pink roses then?" she suggested, but Arnold shook his head. "Somehow… Somehow, pink roses aren't special enough. I do want to give her pink flowers though." he answered and Mrs. Vitello hummed thoughtfully. "Oh! I may have the perfect rose species then." She said and walked away with her cane stepping with her like a third leg. Mrs. Vitello turned on the lights and Arnold waited obediently in the shop as she roamed around in the back. "I don't have many of these. In fact, these are my last bouquet. They get ripped away like marzipan on Christmas." She joked as she waved him inside.

When Arnold saw the bouquet, Mrs. Vitello was talking about, he gasped. They looked exactly like pink roses, but had a yellow frame around them. "Pink and blonde…" he observed and held one of the heads in his hand. "Well, you could put it that way. They're called Baby Romantica." She informed with a grin and Arnold smiled. "Baby Romantica… They're perfect." He said and took the bouquet in his hand. "Want me to wrap them in?" she asked, but he shook his head. "No, I can't possible wait. I'll give them to her right now. Thank you so much, Mrs. Vitello!" he said, readjusted the bouquet safely in his embrace and ran out of the shop. Mrs. Vitello smirked at the sight. "Such a sweet young man shouldn't ever have a frown on his face." She muttered to herself and turned the lights off. "I'm glad I could remove it… though I believe Helga is the only one who can make him smile."

* * *

Helga sighed for what felt like the hundredth time and flopped onto her bed. "What a freaking disaster…" she muttered as tonight's event roamed though her head. What should have been a nice party to celebrate her going to Broadway had quickly turned into more of a grilling. Everyone insisted to shower her and Arnold with question after question about how they were going to maintain their relationship while she was gone. Some people had even shared their own bad experiences or told, what Helga basically considered, _horror_ stories about how badly it had gone for others. Once Arnold was gone, Helga just wanted to cry.

Helga looked at herself in the mirror: the mascara was gone, but she was still wearing the dress. She stood up and was about to unzip it, when she heard a small thud behind her. She frowned and turned to look at her window, wondering if she was imagining it. After a few seconds, she was about to continue unzipping her dress, when she heard the thud again and whipped her head back to the window. "What the actual…?" she muttered, zipped her dress back up and went to the window. She looked outside in the darkness and narrowed her eyes. She could see a shadow waving and she pushed her window open. "Who…?" she asked, but then her eyes widened in recognition. "Arnold!" she shrieked, but held her mouth, afraid of waking her parents up. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Is your door locked?" Arnold asked, hiding the bouquet behind his back. "What? Um… n-no. I haven't gone to bed yet so… Wait. Are you coming up?" Helga asked and Arnold nodded. "Stay in your room, ok? I'll lock the door for you!" he responded before disappearing around the house. "Arnold!" Helga called first, but then closed her window and turned to look at herself in the mirror. Before she knew it, her fingers were combing through her hair, but then she frowned and decided to mess it up again. _What am I expecting… exactly?_ She wondered, but she knew the answer. The sound of her door opening made her turn around and see Arnold whom she figured hadn't been home yet since he was still in his tux.

"Arnold, what are you doing?" Helga asked with an unsure smile as he stepped in front of her, between her and her bed. She quirked an eyebrow when she noticed that his arms were twisted behind his back and for a second, she considered stepping around him to see what he was hiding, but then he began speaking. "I realized something on the way home." He said with a smile and she blinked at him before crossing her arms. "Oh? And it was so important that you couldn't have told me tomorrow? Or have called instead?" she asked with a smirk and he shook his head. "I couldn't wait." He admitted and bit his lip secretively. Helga was losing her patience. "Arnold, what are you smiling - - "

"Congratulations." Arnold said and moved his hands in front of him, showing Helga the bouquet of flowers he had been hiding. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the pink roses with a strange tint of yellow on them. They weren't wrapped in cellophane, it was obvious he had spontaneously bought them a moment ago. "It feels kind of… super-belated by now so it may seem a little silly, but… I wanted to do this properly." He explained with a meek smile on his face, Helga's expression still painted with surprise as she stared at the bouquet. "Congratulations… for going on Broadway. You're amazing and… you really deserve it."

At Arnold's words, Helga opened her mouth only to close it again, turning her lips into two thin lines. He watched her as a smile suddenly spread on her face and before he knew it, her arms were wrapped around him and they fell backwards onto the bed. "Helga!" Arnold shrieked in shock, feeling the petals from the roses spread over them due to the fall. "C-Careful! The roses, they - - " he warned, but a fierce kiss from the girl above him left him speechless. _How does she do that…?_ He thought as his mind turned foggy, his eyes closing on their own. How could she make him feel this much from a simple kiss?

Helga let go of Arnold's lips with a moan and leaned up to show him her face. "I use… _so_ many words… I try to use my whole vocabulary. I write poems to show my love to you, and yet you use so few words…" She said in awe. Arnold frowned in confusion. "Oh, c-come on. We both know my vocabulary isn't bigger than anyone else's…" He muttered defensively, but Helga shook her head. "You're misunderstanding me." She said as she removed a petal from his cheek and looked at it lovingly. "I'm saying that sometimes… saying less can convey so much more." She explained, but the frown was still on his face. "I don't think I understand…" He admitted and she smiled mischievously. "You're dense after all." She stated and his frown turned into a scowl. He sat up, letting go of the bouquet in the process. "After all this time, you're still bullying me!"

Arnold's rant was stopped before it could begin. Helga's mouth against his left him at loss for words, but the kiss didn't last any longer than the first. "I'm actually not bullying you _this_ time." She whispered and he frowned a bit again. "I'm complimenting you." she added before kissing him and pushing him down on the bed. It wasn't like Arnold was fighting her or anything, but he felt like he still wanted to say something. He wasn't sure what though and it didn't take long before talking was forgotten. Her soft tongue wrapped around his felt much like how he was wrapped around her little finger as well. His hand went to her thigh, crawling under the dress just a bit to pull her legs more around him.

Helga was straddled comfortably on Arnold's hips when her mouth left his. His head followed her upwards for a moment, not wanting to let go, but he then let his head fall back, waiting for whatever she would say or do that could possibly be important enough to stop the kiss. "Arnold…" she whispered huskily, her lips a bit swollen from the kiss. "Uh… y-yeah?" he stuttered in a low voice, his breath ragged. "I believe we're alone right now… and I really doubt that anyone is stupid enough to try to break into the Pataki household." She continued and kissed him again. His eyes widened a bit, realizing what she meant. His mind went blank as he wrapped his arms around her and turned them around, pressing himself closer to her.

Helga gasped in surprise at Arnold's stunt, but showed no sign of disliking their new position. On the contrary, she pulled him even closer to her, wrapping her legs around his hips. His mouth started kissing her everywhere; her forehead, cheeks, jawline, throat and chest were soon covered in small wet marks. She felt his hand travel under her back, searching for however he could open her dress. "Z-Zipper." She explained and pushed him up in a sitting position. With cat-like grace and speed as a cheetah, she turned her whole body around, exposing her back to him, her eyes pleading. Arnold moved his hair to the side and started kissing her neck as he pulled her zipper down. The dress fell down to her thighs, exposing her black bra beneath it.

Rather than turning Helga around, or even opening her bra, Arnold's hand instantly went down her stomach and down between her thighs, eliciting a surprised gasp from her, which faded into a moan. His slightly calloused fingers were unfamiliarly rough against her, but her bend legs were shuddering with excitement. Her head fell back to his shoulder and her hand went to his hair, her fingers tightened their hold on his hair whenever he touched that little bud of nerves. As much as she liked his outfit, right then she hated the feeling of the fabric against her back and she twisted her arms to his chest in order to start the process of getting it off.

It didn't take a high IQ to figure out what Helga wanted so Arnold reluctantly let go of her body to remove his jacket. _Damn all this clothes!_ He thought once his jacket was off, but he still had the white shirt on. As he opened one button at a time, his fingers shaking with impatience, he felt Helga twist her body around and started fumbling with his tie. She couldn't see what she was doing properly, but her fingers knew what to do. She felt just as impatient as he did though so while her fingers were working on his tie, her mouth started kissing him sloppily. He did his best to kiss her back, but by doing so his focus fell from the buttons on his shirt and his hands left it to grab onto her hips. "You're not done." She whispered against his mouth, but all she got in response was a grunt.

Once the tie was off, Helga threw it away and fumbled with the last buttons on Arnold's shirt. He had only missed two, so in her eagerness, she got the shirt off within five seconds. She hadn't noticed Arnold fumbling with her clasp before the bra fell down her arms. his mouth soon found the nape of her neck and his tongue gave it a thorough lick that sent heat to the core of her body. At the feeling of his teeth though, albeit it felt wonderful, she had to stop him. "N-No hickeys, Arnold. Premiere tomorrow…" she reminded him absentmindedly, half of her mind still too clouded to thoroughly consider her actions.

Helga could hear Arnold, as his mouth barely left her skin, make a small sound as if he had just came back to the Earth. He seemed to hesitate, or perhaps he was considering something. She was about to ask him what was wrong when his voice suddenly whispered. "So… it's ok if no one can see them… right?" he asked with almost childish plead in his voice. Helga's heart barely started to beat again, after it had stopped at Arnold's words, before he started kissing her down her back. He planted a solid hickey on her lower back before turning his body around her and engulfing her right nipple without any warning.

Helga's voice made a sharp sound in surprise, her arm placing itself over Arnold's shoulders as a form of leverage. He continued to kiss down the side of her stomach and didn't stop until he reached her hipbone and sucked on the skin there. "Oh, God…" Helga whispered as she leaned back, trapping Arnold's left arm under her. His right hand caressed her thigh as he kept planting a series of hickeys from her hipbone towards her navel. Helga flinched in pleasure when his hand traveled between her thighs again, her hips starting to sway against his hand. She didn't need to touch herself to know how ready she already was; the feeling of his finger gliding painlessly inside of her told her so.

"N-No more." Helga said and forced herself to sit up. Arnold removed his hand from her, wondering if he had done something wrong, but when she started kissing him ferociously, he realized what she had meant. He considered asking her if she was sure that she was ready so soon, but the way her hands eagerly opened his pants and pulled them down to his knees was answer enough. Once his pants was off, she quickly pulled her panties down, leaving the dress hanging like a rag over her hips. She threw the panties away and kissed him once more.

Rather than turning around like Arnold had expected her to, Helga simply placed her palms on the bed. He gulped at the sight of her on all fours, with her back bend like a cat's when it stretches. He had never done it like that before; most girls he dated were no interested in positions like that. he had never blamed or even questioned them, but he was, like most men, curious about _all_ positions. He places his hands on her hips gently, caressing the red marks he had put on her just before. He leaned over her and kissed the part of her skin, which was usually covered by her hair. "D-Dammit, Arnold. Is this some kind of revenge?" Helga asked shakily. She was wrong, but Arnold couldn't help but smile in triumph. "Maybe." He replied against her skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps, which he licked roughly. He felt her jolt and a small, but sharp shriek emitted from her lips. "Arnold! If I don't feel you inside me within a second, I swear I will - - "

Helga's voice was cut off when Arnold finally did as asked, successfully causing her to gasp in surprise. She let her chest and face fall to the bed, trying desperately to conceal the embarrassing shaky sounds, which refused to stop leaving her throat. She felt Arnold lean over her again and his mouth whispering in her ear. "You were saying?" he asked teasingly, smiling when he heard her hiss. "Shut up." She ordered. "So you would rather have me roll my hips than my tongue?" he asked, wondering where this cockiness came from. Helga shuddered a bit as she turned her head to look at him. "Please?" she asked, wondering if this voice was even her own anymore. "Helga Pataki begging? That's very out of character." He teased and she groaned again. "Criminy, Football Head!" she roared angrily and he snickered. "That sounds more like you."

Helga stretched her arms and barely finished rolling her eyes, before Arnold started moving inside of her. Her eyes widened a bit at the familiar feeling and yet it was so very different. It had also been some decent time since she had last done this and when did Arnold's last relationship end…? She didn't know and she didn't care, especially not when he suddenly hit a spot that made her gasp loudly. She almost pulled her hand up to her mouth in shock. She had been starting to wonder if she even had that spot at all, but another thrust told her otherwise. Her fingers dug into the sheets tensely, her body starting to move naturally with his.

Arnold leaned over Helga again, his already damp chest against her moist back. She felt him wrap one arm around her stomach and the other hand placed on her shoulder. She turned her head to look at him, putting her hand over his. He lifted his head from her shoulder to smile at her, kissing her cheek, which was the only thing he could reach with his mouth right then. "A-Arnold, we've…" she whispered and moaned. "We've become one." She finished and he felt heat spread to his cheeks. An embarrassed smile appeared on his face. "Th-The way you talk, Helga. It's really… amazing." He said, his breath ragged from their actions, but he could still speak. "R-Really? You don't think it's too… w-_weird_?" Helga gasped when he hit that spot again. He leaned even closer to her, forcing her down towards the mattress again with his entire body consuming her. "N-No… I love it… I really do!"

Helga gasped again at a particular hard thrust. She wasn't sure what kind of button she had just pushed, but Arnold suddenly picked up the pace and in this position, hitting that spot inside of her that made her toes curl was much too easy. She needed to be able to breathe without moaning every second so she tried to push Arnold upwards. He quickly did and she followed him until they were standing on their knees. That didn't help though, the feeling was just as strong as before and Helga had to realize that maybe Arnold wasn't really hitting any special spots inside of her… maybe it was just because it was Arnold doing it that made her feel this good. She had been dreaming of it ever since she knew what sex was after all.

"H-Helga." Arnold said as his hands touched her breasts, pinching her nipples for effect. She was about to reply, but all sound that came out of her mouth was a choked gasp. "I want to s-see you." he admitted. For a moment, she was confused. She was right there after all, but then she turned her head to look at him. "M-Me too." She said and went slowly down on the mattress to avoid having to be separated from him. She turned on her side slowly, the feeling of Arnold still inside her as she did so felt like she was being stirred from the inside. He grabbed her ankle to help her turn around, but stopped once her legs was pressed against his chest and her ankle was resting on his shoulder. He looked her over, waiting for pain to appear on her face, but all she did was moan in expectation.

Slowly, almost painfully gently, Arnold moved again in this position, which was new for the both of them. "Oh, God! Arnold, go faster!" she begged with a desperate voice and he groaned before picking up the pace. He knew she was flexible, but he hadn't expected her to grab his hands and force him so close to her that the back of her knee eventually landed on his shoulder. She started kissing him, her tongue rolling around his eagerly. For a very short moment, Arnold wondered just _how_ flexible Helga was, but the thought was shoved away when she moved her other leg up to his free shoulder and he was starting to see white. Her nails scratched his hands on the mattress, her voice trying to tell him something, but he couldn't hear anything than the ringing in his ears and she couldn't speak a single comprehensible word. Soon they fell asleep with their limps tangled and their arms thrown unceremoniously over each other's bodies.

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: Sorry it took so long! It was actually the last scene that had me going on for a while because I **_**knew**_** what I wanted to "happen", so to speak, but the words just wouldn't come out from my head and down on the keyboard xD Next chapter is the last! Oh, my God! So weird… but that's life Cx**


	23. You are also my dream

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.**

**They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.**

**Title: "Roadside girl"**

**In the last chapter:**_** Friday evening, the day before the premiere of Roadside Girl, Bob decided to his Helga's celebration party, which Arnold was invited to. Unfortunately, the party ended on a sour note for the couple since everyone around did nothing but remind them that they were soon to be separated.**_

_**Arnold took a spontaneous detour to Vitello Flowers and found a bouquet of Baby Romantica roses, which he decided to give to Helga despite the late hour. Once he had come back to her house and given her the flowers, Helga kissed him and eventually, they spend the night together.**_

**Author's 1st note: *Le big sob* The end is near! It is right here in fact. Happy that I wrote it so quickly? Yeah, I have mixed feelings about that too… xD Anyways, I hope you enjoy the very last chapter of "Roadside Girl".**

**[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]**

* * *

Chapter 23: "You are also my dream"

_Oh, shut up…_ Helga thought when a familiar beep started to echo in her room. She stretched her arm to grab her phone, but her body felt heavy and what she assumed was her duvet held her back. She stretched a little further, fighting against her bones' complaints, and managed to hit the snooze button only. "Damn." She groaned and tried to raise herself from the mattress, but a pressure on her back forced her back down. "What the fuck, duvet!" she scolded and turned onto her back, but froze when she saw not her duvet, but an arm that did not belong to herself resting on her stomach. _Ok. That's new._

Helga turned her head and saw Arnold sleeping next to her. Her eyes widened in confusion for a moment, but then the memory from last night flooded through her mind and she smiled. She let herself fall back down, her weight causing the bed to bounce and Arnold stirred in his sleep. Just as he started to blink, she kissed his nose and then his forehead and cheek and continued all over his face. He grunted in confusion and his face grew tense at the unfamiliar feeling. When his eyes opened, he saw Helga's face in front of him. "Good morning." She said with a smile. He kept looking at her without saying anything, his mind trying to comprehend how and when Helga had managed to sneak into his room without him noticing.

A smile spread on Arnold's face when he saw the roses behind Helga, which reminded him of why he had come back to _her_ house the night before. "Good morning." He replied and kissed her tenderly. "I think we may have broken the roses." He said, leaned over her and grabbed the bouquet. "Oh, no!" Helga exclaimed, pulled the duvet over her naked form and looked the roses over. "Dammit, my passion always ruins _something_." She muttered, but then smiled. "Most of the roses are fine. I just hope some water will make them look a little brighter."

Arnold sat up and held the flowers out for Helga to take and she did before kissing his cheek. "Thank you. Really. These… I was worried maybe you were angry with me for leaving, but these, they… they show me that you really are happy for me." She said softly and noticed that his smile grew a little tense. "Well, I _am_ happy for you, Helga. I could… I could never be _angry_ with you for leaving. It's just that…" he responded, but didn't finish his sentence. "It's so far away?" she suggested and he shrugged. "L.A. is further away. New York is better, I guess…" He said with no conviction in his voice. He stopped talking again and turned around to find his boxers. To his luck, they were just at his feet and he pulled them on. "Arnold." she said and he turned to look at her. She was looking at him, waiting for him to continue. He sighed. "It's just… It seems like we're repeating our old pattern here." He said and stood up. He noticed her confused frown. "Remember? Whenever we would suddenly get closer as children, something always got in the way."

Helga's frown turned into a scowl. "Mostly _me_." She corrected on his behalf, but Arnold shook his head. "No, Helga. I… I'm sorry." He said before he walked past her and towards the door. "Arnold!" she called, but he had already left her room. _Shit._ She thought and stood up from her bed. With quick moves, she grabbed a loose t-shirt from her closet and pulled it over her neck before following him. She went towards the bathroom, figuring there was no other place for him to hide. She knocked gently and heard him sigh from inside. She put her hand on the door handle and walked inside to find Arnold looking at his own reflection, his face wet from having splashed it with water.

Helga stood still in the doorframe for a bit, observing Arnold who wasn't looking at her, but then she approached him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She looked at his face in the mirror with a severe expression. "Do you want to break up?" she asked and his eyes widened before he whipped around and looked at her in disbelief. "Do _you_?" he asked, but she shook her head. "Then why would you ask such a question?!"

"Because I don't know what you want from me, Arnold. You say you're happy for me, but then you get _that_ expression on your face." Helga replied as she pointed at him for good measure. "That doesn't mean I want something from you, Helga. I just… I'd just wish I… I had more time."

"More time for what?"

"To be with you! I wish I could turn back time and told you that I was in love with you the first time I saw you on that stage instead of those mindless fights between us! I wish we could have been together for longer than a few weeks! You're going on Broadway, that's amazing and you deserve it, but I hate that I'm going to be away from you _again_."

"Do you think _I_ want to be away from _you_, Arnold? I've been in love with you since I was three fucking years old and now we're finally together! I hate I can't be a proper girlfriend who can go and see her boyfriend every day. I don't want to do this long-distance crap, but what choice do I have?" Helga asked and waited for Arnold to say something, but he didn't. He didn't need to either, his thoughts were practically painted on his face. "Nice, Arnold." she said sarcastically as she crossed her arms. "This isn't fair. I… No, we don't have time for this. I need to get dressed and you need to get home and do the same." She said curtly, turned around and walked out of the room.

Arnold stayed behind for a bit, watching his reflection in the mirror. Had it really been so obvious, what he had been thinking when Helga asked him what choice she had? It seemed like his thoughts had just shined through even though he had done his best to hide them. He sucked some air into his lungs and walked out of the room, ready to apologize and explain to Helga. Once he had reached her room, he lifted his hand to knock on her door, but his whole body froze when he heard some whimpers coming from inside. He felt like his heart just broke when he realized he had made Helga cry and before he knew it, he felt a tear of his own fall down his cheek before a series of others followed it.

* * *

"Tonight's the night, people. You have all been waiting for this moment ever since you first got casted for your roles." The director continued and Damon leaned closer to Helga. "Drama queen." He whispered and she gave a small, half-hearted laugh. The director continued to rant on, but Helga wasn't listening anymore. After Arnold had put on his tuxedo again that morning, he had left the room with a small goodbye, which she hadn't responded to. _How did this happen?_ She wondered, but realized it was a stupid question. She should have known that neither of them were capable of just putting on happy faces and pretending everything was ok forever. The day of her departure was still far away, but it felt as if it was just around the corner. She figured Arnold was feeling the same thing she was because he also didn't seem to be listening to the director. She nudged him with his elbow and he looked at her, but then at the director after she had gestured with her head towards him.

"I am so proud of you all. Make me even prouder of you tonight." The director said and they all started clapping before spreading out, all walking towards their places behind the curtain. Arnold was frozen on his spot though, which Helga soon noticed. "Arnold?" she asked and held his shoulder. He flinched at her touch, but his hand went to hers. "Helga… no matter what happens tonight, no matter the outcome of the premiere, you're still going on Broadway, right?" he asked and she frowned in confusion. "Yeah?" she inquired and he sighed in what looked like relief. "Good… because I'm really nervous." He admitted and she couldn't help but smile. _So that's what it was._ She thought, realizing part of her had thought he was planning to sabotage the play so she wouldn't have to go.

Helga wrapped her arms around Arnold who quickly did the same to her. "You are going to be fine, Football Head… You are little Mr. Brightside after all." She whispered to him, kissed his cheek and leaned back. He smiled appreciatively at her and nodded before letting go of her. She quickly went to her spot and listened to the music reverberating in the room. "_Locked inside this cage, where all your world's a stage and in this silent rage, can you turn the page into something new_?" Helga sung in a broken voice, hearing the small sounds of chatter in the auditorium dying down. She looked at Maria who nodded as she positioned herself next to Helga and took a deep breath before she headed outside.

* * *

Adrasteia sunk to her knees at the sight of Aiden lying dead in front of her. Everything was quiet around her; she couldn't even hear the rain pouring around her. Then, a shot of hatred shot through her, an echo of what sounded like a TV going static resonated in her ears. "_I want my innocence back and if you can't give it to me, I will cut you_." a voice that sounded like her own sung in her mind and as if someone else had taken over her body, she grabbed the knife tied around her thigh and rolled it in her hand, the metal shining in the moonlight.

"_And I will run you through with the dagger you sharpened on my body and soul. Before you slit me in two and then devoured me whole._" Adrasteia stood up per the voice's command, her mind going one-tracked as she turned around and walked away from the alley, her legs walking with imprecision. The words _'I want my innocence back'_ kept echoing in her head as she walked through the wet and dirty streets, back to the place she used to consider her home. She walked inside the club, the pounding music from the speakers inside doing nothing to overshadow the painful thumping in her heart.

Adrasteia walked through the door, the floor feeling as if it was moving beneath her as she approached the man who had Aiden killed. He slowly turned his head to look at her, a seething smile on his face. "_I want my innocence back and if you can't pacify me, I will break your bones. You think I'm bluffing, just try me._" She sang as she approached him, the smile never leaving his face. He didn't notice the knife before it was too late and she had pierced his stomach with it. "_I will never forget the words you used to ensnare me till my dying day. You will suffer for this I swear._" As he staggered backwards, pressing his hands down on the bleeding wound inside him, he looked at Adrasteia in disbelief. Her eyes suddenly grew wild and with a predatory roar, she lifted the dagger and penetrated his shoulder as well.

"_And I demand you put my heart back in my hand and wipe it clean from the mess you made of me._" The song kept resonating inside her while her mind kept showing her pictures of Aiden smiling at her, scowling at her, protecting her, holding and kissing her. "_And I require you make me free from this desire and when you leave, I'd better be the innocent I used to be._" She kept shoving the knife inside the man in front of her, the man who had stolen everything from her. She continued to pierce his entire body until he was nothing but a bloodied mess on the floor. The song in her head seemed to fade as she looked at the dagger in her hand, part of the blood dripping onto her hand and wrist.

Everything was so quiet one could hear a pin drop to the floor. Then, without hesitating, without even looking at it first, Adrasteia turned the dagger on herself and pierced her heart with a gasp. She could hear her own gasp echo around her in the room, but then all sounds truly died and she fell to the floor. Adrasteia had never known as much freedom and peace while she felt her life ebbing out. The room seemed as if it was spinning and a sound that sounded like raindrops falling in the water overtook her mind. She was dead, but she stood up and walked around in confusion at a place that was not the location she had grown up in.

"_When we'll wake up, some morning rain will wash away our pain._" A familiar, male voice sang and Adrasteia halted as she looked around. It sounded as if it came from above, but she believed she was already at the highest floor. Surely, no human could exceed Heaven? But the sound did indeed come from above her and when she turned around, she saw what could only be her very own guardian angel. Aiden was sitting on a balcony, one leg hanging lazily over the railing, and the other placed securely on it to avoid him falling and yet she knew that falling could not hurt him anymore. Nothing could bring pain any longer.

"_Because it never began for us. It'll never end for us. I was looking for a place to stay. Are you looking for a place to stay_?" Aiden sang and then turned his head to look at Adrasteia, a content smile on his face. He turned around to stand on the balcony, his eyes never leaving hers and then leaned over to offer her a hand. Adrasteia walked towards him somberly, her hand raising slowly with each step. Once her hand reached his, she held it tightly, hope for their eternity blossoming inside of her, and then everything turned dark.

* * *

"To our success!" the director toasted and they all clinked their champagne-filled glasses together. Helga stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly, causing some of her fellow actors to cringe at the sound, but they all laughed happily right after. "I can't believe it! We had a standing ovation that lasted, like, ten minutes!" Maria said as she bounced happily and David rested his arms over her shoulder. "Relax or you'll give yourself a heart attack." He warned before giving her cheek a kiss, which made her smile even more than before. "Oh, God." Camille groaned, but snickered with the girls next to her.

Helga smiled at the display, but noticed that Arnold was missing in it. They had been celebrating for a mere half hour and he had already disappeared. She looked around, but couldn't see him in the lobby. She was about to tell the others that she would go and look for him, but they didn't notice her at all so she simply put her glass down and left. She knew where to look, it wasn't like there were a million different places to hide inside Hillwood Theater. She went inside the auditorium, looked near the stage and surely enough, she saw Arnold sitting on the stage with his head hanging low and his feet kicking the air. "Yo." She said and he lifted his head. "Party's that way." She added, bopping her head towards the lobby. The corner of his mouth lifted a bit. "I'm, uh… not really in a party mood."

Helga bit down on her bottom lip, hoping that she was capable of keeping her thoughts to herself for once, but the anger started to bubble inside her. "You know, I'm hurting too."

"I know - - "

"But at least I'm trying." Helga continued and Arnold lifted his head again. "And I'm not?" he questioned defensively and she shrugged. "Sometimes it feels like you aren't. I mean, our premiere was a huge success and yet, you're sitting here like some fucking emo instead of celebrating with us." She pointed out. A frown appeared on his face. "Hey, I'm fighting against every fiber of my being that is screaming: 'don't let her go', so excuse me."

"I _knew_ it! You don't want me to leave!"

"Of _course_ I don't want you to leave! If I didn't feel like that, it would mean that I didn't care about you."

"Oh, that's really low; using your feelings as an excuse!"

"My feelings are not an excuse! If it wasn't because of them, I wouldn't care about you leaving. I am terrified of losing you again, for crying out loud!"

"Losing me - - wha-a? _What_?!" Helga stuttered in disbelief and shook her head. "When did you ever lose me?"

"When we were thirteen! You left to become an actress and I was left behind. This is _exactly_ the same, only about a hundred times worse." Arnold answered and jumped off the stage. Helga watched him as he combed his fingers through his hair. He didn't say anything and so she crossed her arms and looked away from him. "Then give me a reason to stay in Hillwood." She muttered and he turned to look questioningly at her. He hadn't heard her properly, but he didn't get a chance to question her. "What proof do I have that we can change? Look at us! We're in love, we're dating, our friends are celebrating our success and what are we doing? We're fighting just like when we were kids!"

"Well, maybe that's what we do! We _fight_. We get pissed off at each other and is that so bad? Didn't someone once say that people who trust each other, lets the other see their bad sides? I let you see the selfish part of me that wants you all to myself. I'm insecure, I'm possessive and I hate that you can see that, but I can't hide it." Arnold interjected, his breath going ragged because of how fast he was talking. Helga didn't know what to say, but something inside her still wanted to argue against him. "What do you _want_ from me? I have the same fears you do and I'm afraid that we won't work out and that I can't figure out a way to _make_ us work! I'm scared we'll become one of those couples that do nothing but fight and, hell, we already are!"

"There you go again! You're blaming everything on our fighting, but we have fought since we wore diapers and yet here we are! Fighting is obviously not the issue here, so if you think that's what's keeping us apart, you're wrong. Do you want to give up before we've even tried?"

"That's _my_ line, Shortman! You're the one moping around. I'm at least trying to put on a happy face!"

"What's the point with a happy face if it's fake? Could you try being honest with me for once?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You heard me! Drop the mask, stop the pretending and tell me what you feel. _Exactly_ what you feel." Arnold ordered and waited for Helga to speak, but she didn't. A tear was streaming down her face, but she quickly wiped it away. "You just proved my point." He said and she looked at him again. "How?" she asked. He gestured idly towards her. "You're hiding your tears. You did that this morning too." He pointed out and her eyes widened. "You… You saw that?" she asked, but to her surprise, he shook his head. "No. I _heard_ that, you were hiding in your room instead of letting me in." he corrected and she frowned before looking away again. "Even after all these years, you're still hiding from me. After all this time, you still won't let me get to know you."

Helga looked at Arnold in incredulity, who had looked away himself. "You're kidding…" she whispered in disbelief and scowled. "You-You're the one who knows me the best and the one I trust the most!" she insisted, but he just shook his head with a sigh. "It doesn't feel that way. The only things I know about you, are things that are about _me_ too. I don't know _you_." he said and she opened her mouth to argue against him, but then she tried thinking about it. It was true that most of the things she had ever told him about herself had all been confessions of her prior stalking. They had been hard to admit, but they had never been about _her_ personally.

Helga starting biting on the inner flesh of her mouth. "… I'm allergic to strawberries." She muttered, but Arnold just rolled his eyes. "I know _that_." he retorted, unsure whether she was just making fun of him. "I like pork rinds, but they make me sleepwalk." She said and he looked at her again in surprise. "I hate corn… pigs' feet… potatoes, lima beans and smoked mackerel. Except for those, I like most foods." She continued thoughtfully. "Helga, what are you…?" he started, but she continued speaking. "I will _always_ order an extra-large triple chocolate shake with two cherries and lots of whip cream no matter how much I have already eaten."

"Helga - - "

"I always put a heart over the I in my poems, but never in anything else. When I see a shooting star, I cross my fingers on both hands, cross my arms over my heart and make a wish. I sleep like a baby at night, but I usually wake up in some weird position, like with half my body hanging over the bed or the duvet wrapped around only one of my legs. I was forced to take ballet lessons as a child and even though I complained, I secretly loved it once I got good at it. When I choose the volume on my computer or the TV, I will always choose a number that's in the five times table and I go insane if someone changes it. I dislike frogs and spiders, but I _hate_ rats with a burning passion. I loved horses as a child, but now I'm afraid of them ever since one kicked me off. I'm stubborn and I will go to _any_ length to prove that I am right even when I know I'm not. There are very few people, that I like and even fewer, I would tell half of these things to. My best friend is Phoebe Heyerdahl, my ex-boyfriend is David Whitlock and the boy, I have loved since I was three years old is Arnold. Phillip. Shortman!"

Arnold choked on the air in his throat, it almost sounded like a hiccup, when Helga finished her speech. A scarlet red color scattered on his face all the way to his ears and down his chest. He had no words, no words at all to all the information that had just been thrown at him. Luckily, Helga was still capable of speaking even after all that. "I love you… I can't promise you what will happen in the future, but I promise that you'll always have my heart no matter what. It belongs to you and it always has and will." She said, her hands clenched in fists and her face scrunched in concentration. She sighed. "I've been thinking, actually…" she continued and looked at the stage with a nostalgic look in her eyes. "I've wanted you my whole life… and acting is just this random dream I got while trying to get away from you. Maybe… Maybe it's not worth it."

At Helga's words, Arnold's eyes widened yet again. "Wait… What are you…?" he started and she looked at him. "What are you saying?" he asked with his eyebrows knitted together. She smiled at him somberly. "I'm staying in Hillwood." She told him matter-of-factly, but it felt like someone had just dropped an anvil on him. "Wha… What? Why? Why would you… Why would you _do_ that? This is your dream, isn't it? Why would you give up on something like that? Why would you give up on your dream?" he asked in despair, feelings of confusion and relief soaring through him. She took a couple of steps towards him, took his hand and waved it between them lazily. "Because you're also my dream."

_How many times does she plan to do that?!_ Arnold wondered as he felt his face flushing yet again. "Corny-y." he teased, prolonging the word in a singsong voice. She lifted her fist to punch his shoulder and he groaned at the pain. "Idiot! I'm being serious here!" she scolded, but she was smiling as she did so. He rubbed his sore arm for a bit, looking at the girl in front of him to look at any signs for a joking smile, but she was dead serious and he knew it. He sighed. "You shouldn't have to do that, Helga…" He said and she nodded. "I know… but I want to." She retorted and squeezed her hand in his. He kept looking her over, as he got deep in thought. "I know…" he said and sighed again. "And that's why I won't let you."

Helga frowned in confusion, but before she could insist, Arnold kissed her. His free hand caressed her neck, his fingers playing her hairline. "I can't let you give up on something like that for me even though it makes me so happy to hear you say that you would…" he said, his hand never leaving her face. She closed her eyes tightly. "I can't leave you…" she insisted and felt his forehead touch hers. "You don't have to… I'm coming with you." he said and she opened her eyes to look at him. "What?" she asked as an unsure smile spread on her face. He started smiling as well as he played with a lock of her hair absentmindedly. "There is only one Broadway so there's only one place you can be to achieve your dream…" He muttered. "Me? I can be a psychologist anywhere…"

Helga just looked at Arnold for what felt like the longest time before she made a very short, but sharp laugh. "It _is_ New York… lots of potential clients there." She joked and he laughed as well. "You mean it…?" she asked unsurely and stepped away to look at him. "You're… coming with me?" she asked and he smiled again as he grabbed her hand. He nodded, but she still wasn't convinced. "There's also only _one_ Hillwood, you know?" she pointed out, but he just kept smiling. "And there's only one Helga."

Helga felt her heart swell at his words, but she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "_Corny_." She declared in a high-pitched voice. He groaned before he grabbed her around her waist and lifted her up. She shrieked in surprise and happiness as he swung her around. "We're going to New York, baby!" he declared happily and she couldn't help but start laughing. Their laughter resonated through the auditorium and therefore they didn't notice when others started to walk inside. "There you are!" David said and the blondes looked at him. "You two just snuck off like that! Very suspicious." Damon said and crossed his arms. "You two have been looking so distant today, but now you're all happy again. Something good happen?" Maria asked with a smile on her face, which she was unaware of would grow bigger in a second.

Arnold and Helga looked at each other, both wearing very big grins on their faces. "I'm going to New York with Helga." Arnold answered. They all gawked at him and turned their eyes towards Helga, silently asking her if he was joking. She just nodded though and Maria started screaming happily. "This is amazing! Oh, one big happy ending!" she said as she stormed towards Helga. "No, it's a happy beginning!" Helga insisted before Maria whisked her away and into more of a happy bounce than a dance session. The boys laughed at the girls' display and for once, Helga seemed just as excited as Maria did. "Congratulations, man." Damon said and patted Arnold's back. "Dammit. I was hoping to steal Helga away from you." David joked and Maria gasped in mock shock. "Hey!" she scolded and he just laughed as he grabbed her. "I'm kidding." He insisted before kissing her on the lips, eliciting a happy swoon from her. Helga laughed as she quickly scooted over to Arnold, wrapping her arms around him from the side. He looked down at her even though she was looking at David and Maria. "Helga." He whispered and leaned closer to her ear. "I love you too."

**The end**

* * *

**Author's 2nd note: The end! *Sobbing heavily* It's over! Ah, happy and corny ending is happy and cheesy, but is anyone complaining? I doubt it xD And even if you are: too bad! My story, my rules! Mwuahaha xD Before I start my next "big project", I'll per usual try to get some one-shots and short stories out of the way, like I did after ending "Let me be your hero". Please stay tuned for more! :D**

**Songs:**

**Lily Holbrook – "Welcome to the slaughterhouse"**

**Emilie Autumn – "I want my innocence back"**

**Elisa – "Rainbow"**


End file.
